- China evacuates 400,000 ahead of super typhoon Yagi
- Expected to make landfall on the tourist island of Hainan later today
- Typhoon could bring “catastrophic” damage to Hainan and neighbouring province
- Heavy rainfall and strong winds have already begun affecting the region
China evacuates 400,000 ahead of super typhoon Yagi
China has evacuated approximately 400,000 people ahead of Super Typhoon Yagi, which is expected to make landfall on the tourist island of Hainan later today. The storm, one of the most powerful of the year, has led to the suspension of trains, boats, and flights in the region for a second day, with schools also closed in parts of southern China.
Yagi, which intensified after causing destruction in the northern Philippines earlier this week, now has winds reaching 240 km/h (150 mph) near its eye. Meteorologists warn that the typhoon could bring “catastrophic” damage to Hainan and neighbouring Guangdong province, which is China’s most populous.
The Indo-Pacific Tropical Cyclone Warning Center has described Yagi as an “extremely dangerous and powerful” super typhoon, equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane. Authorities have closed all tourist attractions in Hainan and halted traffic on the world’s longest sea bridge connecting Hong Kong, Macau, and Zhuhai in Guangdong.
Heavy rainfall and strong winds have already begun affecting the region, with up to 500mm of rain expected. While Hainan frequently faces typhoons, Yagi is projected to be the strongest to hit the island’s southern coast in a decade.