Chinese authorities have activated disaster relief measures and transferred more than 800,000 people to Guangdong
Typhoon Noul made landfall in southern China’s Guangdong Province early Sunday, causing widespread unrest, mass evacuations and emergency relief operations, as strong winds and heavy rain battered several provinces.
The storm also caused deadly flash floods, killing 10 people in China’s Gansu province, according to China’s official Xinhua news agency.The Chinese authorities activated disaster relief measures and resettled more than 800,000 people in Guangdong, while transportation services were severely affected in Hong Kong, where hundreds of flights and train services were cancelled. High-speed rail services and flights across Guangdong were also canceled after the typhoon made landfall.
The storm, which has since weakened as it moves inland, is expected to continue bringing heavy rain across southern China through Tuesday, according to Reuters.The China National Disaster Prevention, Reduction and Relief Commission activated the National Level 4 Disaster Relief Emergency Response in Guangdong Province after the typhoon hit the coast. Level 4 is the least serious level in China’s four-level emergency response system, and level 1 is the highest.
A team from the central government was dispatched to assess the damage, assist evacuations and support relief efforts, while the National Development and Reform Commission allocated 100 million yuan (about 14.7 million US dollars) for post-disaster reconstruction.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated after heavy rain triggered flood warnings
Typhoon Noul, the twelfth typhoon to hit China this year and the third to make landfall this month, hit Guangdong’s Huidong County at around 3:50 a.m. local time on Sunday, according to Chinese authorities.The typhoon carried winds of up to 162 kilometers per hour, making it slightly stronger than Typhoon Bavi, which struck eastern and northeastern China earlier this month, according to the South China Morning Post.Before landfall, China’s National Observatory issued a red alert – the highest warning in the four-level typhoon system – while emergency measures were activated across Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Henan, Hubei, Hunan and Guangxi.
The National Center of Meteorology later downgraded its warning from red to orange and then to yellow on Sunday as the storm weakened.Authorities have warned that the storm will bring heavy to heavy rains over much of southern China over the next two days, increasing the risk of floods, landslides and overflowing rivers.The China Meteorological Agency predicted exceptionally heavy rain in parts of Fujian, while local governments were urged to monitor vulnerable areas including mountain valleys, bridges and construction sites.According to the Associated Press, more than 801,000 people had been moved to safer areas in Guangdong by Sunday. China’s Ministry of Water Resources has also updated its emergency flood control response due to the increasing risk of mountain floods.The central recovery package will be used to restore damaged infrastructure including roads, schools, hospitals and water conservancy facilities.
Hong Kong suffers from transport chaos as dramatic images spread
The typhoon also hit neighboring Hong Kong with strong winds before moving inland.The authorities canceled more than 410 flights and 150 high-speed train services before the storm, while opening 28 temporary shelters for residents.Airport operations gradually resumed Sunday afternoon after being largely suspended for more than 12 hours.About 350 flights were canceled on Sunday alone, leaving about 2,000 passengers stranded over the weekend. At least 21 people were injured during the hurricane in Hong Kong, according to local authorities.Many dramatic videos of the storm quickly spread on social media.A widely circulated video clip showed scaffolding collapsing from the side of a high-rise building in Hong Kong due to strong winds that hit the city.
Police said that no injuries were reported in the accident.The bed eventually flipped over, allowing the child to crawl back into it unharmed.
Another video recorded in Guangdong captured a terrifying moment when strong winds blew down the door of a house, sending a baby’s bed rolling across the room.Other videos circulating online showed hurricane-force winds uprooting trees, tossing debris onto city streets and making it nearly impossible for pedestrians to stand up straight as the storm swept through southern China’s provinces.
The hurricane is weakening but the threat of rain remains
Although Noll has weakened after moving inland, authorities have warned that his influence is far from over.The Hong Kong Observatory said the storm was gradually weakening, prompting officials to lower the city’s typhoon warning signal from 1.
From 8 to No. 3 on Sunday afternoon.However, this system is still expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain to inland provinces including Jiangxi and Hunan until Tuesday.Noul is the strongest typhoon to make landfall in China so far this year. Before reaching China, the storm also affected the Philippines, where at least three people were killed and widespread flooding displaced many residents.It also caused heavy rains in parts of Taiwan without making landfall.
