China’s Hainan Island Faces Worst Typhoon in a Decade, Over 400,000 Evacuated

Wenchang city, located in the northeast of Hainan Island, China, was struck by Typhoon Yagi, the most powerful typhoon in a decade, on Friday. The BBC reports that over 400,000 residents were evacuated to safer areas in preparation for the storm.

As Typhoon Yagi approached, transport services, including trains, boats, and flights, were suspended, while schools and tourist attractions, such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, were closed. Authorities warned of destructive winds and potential devastation in Hainan and Guangdong, China’s most populous province.

The Indo-Pacific Tropical Cyclone Warning Center described Yagi as a super typhoon, comparable to a Category 5 hurricane. After wreaking havoc in the Philippines, where it caused floods, landslides, and claimed at least 13 lives, Yagi doubled in intensity before hitting China. Meteorologists predict up to 500mm of rainfall in the region.

Yagi is expected to weaken before reaching Vietnam, where 460,000 officers are being mobilized for disaster management. Experts highlight the increasing strength and frequency of storms like Yagi due to climate change, as warming oceans fuel more powerful typhoons and hurricanes.