A major tourist destination, Hainan island, located south of mainland China, was struck by the strongest typhoon in ten years. This super typhoon, named Yagi, brought powerful winds and heavy rain, causing serious concerns for the area.
On Friday afternoon at 4:00 PM local time (9:00 AM BST), Typhoon Yagi made landfall in Wenchang city, located in the northeast part of Hainan. The winds were incredibly strong, reaching speeds of 223 km/h (138 mph), as reported by China’s state media.
Strongest Typhoon Since 2014
Yagi is the strongest typhoon to hit Hainan island since 2014 when Typhoon Rammasun caused devastation and led to 46 deaths. The Chinese weather agency said that Yagi is the strongest typhoon to hit in the autumn season in recent history.
In preparation for the storm, authorities evacuated around 400,000 people to safer areas on the island. To protect people from the dangerous conditions, all trains, boats, and flights were stopped. Schools were also closed as a precaution.
Before reaching China, Yagi had already caused severe damage in the northern Philippines earlier in the week. After that, the typhoon became even stronger, making it the second most powerful storm of the year so far.
Weather experts described Yagi as an extremely dangerous storm. The Indo-Pacific Tropical Cyclone Warning Center warned that it could bring “catastrophic” damage to Hainan and the neighboring Guangdong province, which is the most populated province in China.
All tourist attractions on Hainan island, known for its sandy beaches and luxury resorts, were closed by authorities starting Wednesday. They warned about the potential for massive destruction from the storm.
The storm also forced the closure of the Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai bridge, the world’s longest sea bridge. This bridge links important regions, and its closure showed how serious the storm was.
Since Thursday, the region had been experiencing heavy rainfall and strong winds. The weather authorities predicted that some areas could receive as much as 500mm of rain, which could cause serious flooding.
While Hainan island often sees typhoons, super typhoons are rare. Since 1949, only nine out of 106 typhoons that have hit the island were classified as super typhoons. Yagi was set to be the most powerful storm to hit the southern coast in recent history.
Yagi wasn’t only expected to hit China. It was predicted to make landfall in northern Vietnam late on Saturday, though it was expected to be weaker by then. Local authorities in Vietnam planned to evacuate tens of thousands of people in the provinces of Hai Phong and Thai Binh.
Vietnam’s military had mobilized around 460,000 officers to prepare for the storm. The deputy agriculture minister warned that careless preparations could lead to major damage, especially in important economic areas.
Four airports in the northern part of Vietnam, including the capital Hanoi’s main airport, were set to be closed on Saturday due to the storm.
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Damage in the Philippines
Before reaching China, Typhoon Yagi caused floods and landslides in northern parts of the Philippines. At least 13 people died, and thousands had to flee to safer areas because of the storm’s damage.
Scientists believe that climate change is making typhoons and hurricanes stronger and more frequent. Warmer ocean waters give storms more energy, making their winds faster. Also, a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, leading to more intense rainfall during storms.
Yagi came just a week after another typhoon, Shanshan, hit Japan. That storm caused the deaths of at least six people and injured hundreds.
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