China evacuates over 340,000 and cancels flights ahead of Typhoon Noul

Typhoon Noul is making its presence felt across southern China, including Hong Kong, with powerful winds and torrential rain forcing widespread evacuations and cancellations. Over 340,000 people have been evacuated from Guangdong province as the region braces for the storm's impact. The typhoon, with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph, is currently moving across the South China Sea and is expected to make landfall early Sunday morning.

In preparation for Noul's arrival, authorities have issued their highest-tier red typhoon alert in mainland China, while Hong Kong's Observatory has hoisted storm signal No. 8, the third-highest level. The storm is forecast to make landfall near the southern Chinese cities of Huizhou and Shanwei, bringing significant wind and rain to the affected areas. Train services in Guangdong province have been suspended for Sunday, and Hong Kong's airport has canceled more than 150 flights for Saturday and Sunday, with further disruptions anticipated.

The approaching storm has already caused disruptions, with parts of a large scaffolding on a high-rise building in Hong Kong collapsing on Saturday afternoon. Fortunately, initial reports indicate no injuries. Taiwan has also experienced rainfall as Noul passed south of the island, though it is now moving away.

This event follows a series of recent typhoons to impact China. Earlier in July, Typhoon Bavi led to the evacuation of over 2 million people, and Typhoon Maysak made landfall on July 3. The current evacuation efforts for Typhoon Noul highlight the significant threat posed by these powerful weather systems to coastal regions.