HAIKOU: Super Typhoon Yagi, the 11th typhoon of this year, made landfall in south China’s Hainan Province on Friday afternoon, according to the province’s emergency management headquarters.
The typhoon, packing winds exceeding 234 km per hour, hit the coast of Wengtian Township in Wenchang City at 4.20 pm.
The typhoon has brought heavy rainfall across most of the island, with severe rainstorms in certain townships and villages. The northern part of Hainan has experienced strong winds ranging from level 13 to 16, while some cities and counties have faced power outages.
Yagi is forecast to move toward the island’s capital Haikou, as well as Chengmai and Lingao counties, before heading to the Beibu Gulf on Saturday morning, according to the provincial meteorological bureau.
Earlier, some 419,367 residents had been relocated from Hainan as of 11.30 am on Friday, as the super typhoon Yagi was approaching the province, according to local authorities.
The bureau added that the seawater level would surge by 150 to 230 cm along the northern coastal area of Hainan Island from Friday noon to Saturday noon, while Haikou is projected to suffer severe waterlogging due to the storm surge and heavy rainfall.
Operations at multiple tourist attractions have been suspended and traffic control measures have been implemented in the province.
– Bernama, Xinhua
