More than 340,000 evacuated as Typhoon Noul approaches southern China

More than 340,000 people have been evacuated from China’s Guangdong Province as Typhoon Noul approaches the region, prompting authorities to implement large-scale emergency measures, according to the provincial disaster relief headquarters.

Meteorologists said the storm had strengthened to typhoon intensity by the morning of July 25, with maximum sustained winds reaching 35 meters per second, Caliber.Az reports per Xinhua. 

It is expected to make landfall overnight along the coast between the cities of Shanwei and Shenzhen, where wind speeds could reach force 12 to 14 on the Beaufort scale.

In response to the threat, authorities in 19 cities and 135 counties activated emergency plans for storms and flooding.

“Fourteen rescue vessels, 90 tugboats and four helicopters have been deployed in the province’s coastal waters, while 16 mobile flood response teams have been placed on standby,” the provincial emergency management department stated.

By the evening of July 25, the number of evacuated residents had reached 349,996. Authorities also imposed “five-stop” emergency measures in 12 cities, including Shantou, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Dongguan, suspending business operations, closing schools and markets, halting public transportation, and shutting down construction sites.

Maritime traffic has been completely suspended, with all 5,109 vessels taking shelter in safe harbors and another 418 ships redirected to other waters.

Temporary traffic restrictions have also been introduced on highways passing through Jieyang and Shanwei, as well as on the Shenzhen-Shantou and Guangzhou-Huizhou-Dongguan expressways.

Authorities said the region received between 25 and 50 millimeters of rainfall over the past 24 hours, although river levels remain below critical thresholds.

By Jeyhun Aghazada