Typhoon Saola Brings Gale and Downpour While Making Landfall Twice in South China Province

Typhoon Saola, the ninth typhoon of this year, has brought strong winds and heavy rain to South China's Guangdong Province, causing crop damage and necessitating the evacuation of residents.

According to the province's meteorological observatory, Saola made its first landfall in the city of Zhuhai at 3:30 a.m. on Saturday, with a maximum wind speed of 42 to 46 meters per second near its eye. It then weakened into a strong tropical storm and made its second landfall in Yangjiang City at about 1:50 p.m.

Saola unleashed gale-force winds and heavy downpours, affecting approximately 573 hectares of crops in Guangdong. As of 5 p.m. on Saturday, about 925,000 people had been evacuated for safety reasons, according to the province's flood, drought, and typhoon control headquarters.

Local authorities reported that no major or large-scale water conservancy projects were damaged. As Saola continues to weaken while moving southwestward along the coastline, Guangdong downgraded its emergency response to Level III on Saturday afternoon. Traffic control is being lifted in an orderly manner, and production and social activities are returning to normal.

Meanwhile, the meteorological observatory of Guangdong has issued a warning that Haikui, the 11th typhoon of this year, is approaching and is likely to make landfall or significantly affect the province between next Tuesday and Wednesday.

Source: Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS)