The latest storm news from China's National Meteorological Center (NMC) said that Typhoon Yagi (Typhoon No. 3 in Vietnam) will be the strongest storm to hit China's Hainan island province in the past decade.
Typhoon Yagi has strengthened into a super typhoon and is expected to make landfall between Hainan's Qionghai County and Guangdong's Dianbai County this afternoon or evening (September 6), said Xiang Chunyi, a weather forecaster with the NMC.
The Washington Post reported that by the afternoon of September 6, Typhoon Yagi was expected to weaken slightly but was still expected to make landfall with maximum winds of 185-209 km/h.
At 7:00 a.m. on September 6, the storm was still moving at a speed of 15-20 km/h, with the possibility of making landfall further south than previously forecast, so it could cause more direct and severe impacts on Haikou - the capital of Hainan province, home to 3 million residents.
Haikou may be at the western end of Yagi's eyewall - or the innermost ring of destructive winds and heavy rains surrounding the eye .
Super Typhoon Yagi has paralyzed normal activities in coastal cities of Guangdong and Hainan provinces, the NMC said.
The typhoon is expected to bring heavy rain and gusty winds to cities along the Guangdong coast through September 7, said Liang Qiaoqian, chief forecaster at the Guangdong provincial meteorological bureau.
Guangdong and Hainan provinces upgraded their storm emergency response to the highest level on the morning of September 5.
In Zhanjiang, Guangdong, which is expected to be hit hard by the typhoon, vehicles - except emergency rescue and similar - have been ordered to stop operating, while residents have been advised to limit outdoor activities. Power supplies to large outdoor projects have also been cut off since September 5.
In Hainan, 34,707 fishing vessels were anchored in designated ports or safe areas and 78,261 individuals working offshore were relocated to the mainland.
Wenchang, another city in Hainan at risk of being hit by the typhoon, has planned to evacuate about 240,000 residents to safe areas.
Meanwhile, coastal tourist attractions and beaches in Guangdong and Hainan have been ordered to temporarily close. Ferry services across the Qiongzhou Strait have also been suspended until September 8.
In Zhuhai, Guangdong, about 40 flights were canceled on September 5 to ensure safety. Similar measures were taken in Hainan.
Trains are also affected. All trains on the Hainan Loop High-Speed Railway and the Haikou Urban Railway have been suspended until September 7.
According to the Washington Post, Hurricane Yagi has become the second strongest storm of 2024 globally, behind only Hurricane Beryl, a storm with winds of 265km/h in the eastern Caribbean on July 2.
