Janice R. Andrews
Friday, a strong typhoon called Yagi hit southern China, causing almost a million people to leave their homes and stopping all activity in the area. Strong winds and heavy rain were brought by the storm as it moved south of Hong Kong and hit land twice, first in Hainan and then in Guangdong.
The weather service for Hainan province said that Typhoon Yagi hit land at 4:20 p.m. local time in Wenchang, a city on the famous tourist island of Hainan. At its center, the storm had winds of up to 245 kph (152 mph). The storm kept doing damage as it hit Xuwen County in Guangdong province later that same night.
The national weather office says that Yagi is now officially the strongest autumn typhoon to ever hit land in China. Over 420,000 people in Hainan and over 500,000 people in Guangdong had to leave their homes because of its effects, and officials moved quickly to make sure as few people as possible died.
Hainan and Guangdong are both having severe weather problems.
A lot of damage was done by the storm all over Hainan, and power went out in some places. Strong winds damaged famous coconut trees, and people in the area built sandbag walls to keep out water in case of an emergency. In an effort to protect against the strong rain, tape was used to strengthen the windows. China’s official news agency, Xinhua, said that since Wednesday night, schools, companies, and transportation systems in the province had shut down, stopping all everyday life.
Because the storm was coming, tourist spots were closed and all flights were canceled at Hainan’s three main airports. In the nearby province of Guangxi, the city of Qinzhou sent out an emergency alert because Yagi is going to hit the area and northern Vietnam on Saturday afternoon. In case there was more damage, Beihai city also closed its schools, shops, and public transportation.
The Effects on Hong Kong and the Philippines
Hong Kong’s weather bureau issued a No. 8 typhoon signal earlier on Friday, which is its third-highest warning. This meant that trade, banking, and school activities had to be stopped. More than 270 people went to government centers to get safety, and more than 100 planes were canceled. Heavy rain and winds across the city knocked down trees, hurting at least nine people.
Typhoon Yagi started in the Philippines and caused a lot of damage before it got to China. The storm killed at least 16 people and forced more than 47,600 to leave their homes. There was also a lot of floods and collapses in the Philippines, and 17 people are still missing.
Authorities are still on high watch because Typhoon Yagi is still moving inland. It is likely to hit land again in the next few days.
