Super typhoon Yagi ravages Hainan Island with record force

Super Typhoon Yagi, the strongest to hit in a decade, struck Hainan Island on September 6, making landfall in Wenchang city with winds reaching 223 km/h (138 mph). 

This marks the most powerful typhoon to hit Hainan since Typhoon Rammasun in 2014, which resulted in 46 deaths, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Authorities evacuated approximately 400,000 residents from the island and suspended trains, boats, and flights in preparation for the storm. Schools were also closed. Yagi, which intensified after causing significant damage in the northern Philippines earlier this week, is the second strongest typhoon of the year.

The typhoon's impact has been severe, leading to widespread power outages affecting around 830,000 households. Emergency teams, consisting of about 7,000 people, managed to restore electricity to 260,000 homes by September 6 evening. All tourist attractions on the island have been shut down since Wednesday due to warnings of "massive and destructive winds."

Known for its white sand beaches and luxury resorts, Hainan, often referred to as "China's Hawaii," also saw the main bridge connecting Hong Kong with Macau and Zhuhai closed. Yagi made a second landfall in Guangdong on Friday evening, with winds exceeding 200 km/h.

Heavy rainfall and strong gales have been affecting the region since Thursday, with forecasts predicting up to 500 mm of rain. While Hainan is accustomed to typhoons, only nine out of the 106 typhoons that have struck the island since 1949 have been classified as super typhoons.

Yagi, now the most powerful storm in Asia this year, made landfall in northern Vietnam on September 7. The storm hit around 1300 local time (0600 GMT), with winds of up to 160 km/h (99 mph), having weakened from its peak intensity in Hainan. The coastal city of Haiphong, a major industrial hub, has been significantly affected by the storm.