Typhoon Saola Brings Sudden Fury to Southern China’s Coasts

The powerful typhoon Saola made landfall in southern China’s Guangdong province, bringing a sudden fury of strong winds and heavy rains that had nearly 900,000 people moved to safety and most of Hong Kong and other parts of coastal southern China suspend business, transport, and schools. The storm churned into an outlying district of the city of Zhuhai, just south of Hong Kong, at 3:30 am local time, and was forecast to move in a south-westerly direction along the Guangdong coast at a speed of about 10mph, gradually weakening before heading out to sea.

Guangdong province’s meteorological bureau issued a highest flood warning, saying the powerful storm brought maximum sustained winds of 121mph and posed a high threat to the territory. The Hong Kong Observatory issued a No 10 hurricane alert, the highest warning under the city’s weather system, warning of serious flooding in coastal areas and saying the maximum water level might be similar to when Typhoon Mangkhut hit Hong Kong in 2018.

As the storm closed in on Hong Kong, about 400 people sought refuge at temporary shelters, and ferry and bus services were halted. Residents of low-lying areas placed sandbags at their doors hoping to prevent their homes from being flooded. Dozens of trees were knocked down, and seven people were injured and sought treatment at public hospitals. Classes at all schools were suspended, and workers stayed at home.

As the storm’s heavy rains and strong winds swept through southern China, the Chinese state television service CCTV reported that all trains entering or leaving Guangdong province from Friday night to Saturday evening were halted. The leader of the nearby gambling hub of Macao, Ho Iat Seng, ordered a halt to casino operations, and the cross-border bridge connecting Hong Kong, Macao, and Zhuhai was closed mid-afternoon.

Weather authorities in Macao also warned of flooding, forecasting that water levels might reach 1.5 meters in low-lying areas on Saturday morning. Another storm, Haikui, was gradually moving toward eastern China, and the meteorological administration predicted that parts of Guangdong, Fujian, and Zhejiang provinces would experience strong winds and heavy rains. Haikui was expected to hit Taiwan’s east coast on Sunday.

Chinese residents, like Shirley Ng, a security guard, were preparing for the worst, stocking up on food and hoping that the typhoon wouldn’t cause any casualties. “I just hope that the typhoon won’t cause casualties,” she said, reflecting the anxiety and uncertainty that gripped the region as Saola brought its fury.