Super Typhoon Yagi, the strongest storm to hit Hainan Island in a decade, made landfall in Wenchang city with wind speeds of 223 km/h (138 mph). Around 400,000 people were evacuated before the storm, with transportation services halted and schools closed.
Yagi intensified after causing significant damage in the northern Philippines earlier this week and is now expected to bring “catastrophic” damage to Hainan and Guangdong province, according to news reports.
China’s weather agency forecasts up to 500mm of rainfall, and all tourist sites in Hainan have been closed, with warnings issued about “massive and destructive winds.”
The typhoon is also expected to affect northern Vietnam, where tens of thousands of people are being evacuated and airports are preparing to shut down.
The military has deployed 460,000 personnel to help manage the storm’s aftermath. Earlier this week, Yagi triggered floods and landslides in the Philippines, leading to at least 13 deaths.
Experts point to climate change as a factor in the growing intensity and frequency of storms like Yagi, citing warmer ocean waters and increased atmospheric moisture.
