Typhoon Haitham hits China's Zhejiang coast; 210,000 evacuated

Typhoon Haitham, the 13th typhoon of the year, made landfall on the coast of Taizhou city in China's Zhejiang Province on August 9, 2026. The storm brought powerful winds, with its center registering maximum wind speeds of 14-level (42 meters per second) and a minimum central pressure of 945 hectopascals.

In preparation for the typhoon, Chinese authorities implemented large-scale evacuations. A total of about 210,000 people were relocated from vulnerable coastal areas. Taizhou city alone saw nearly 80,000 residents evacuated, while Shanghai reported over 30,000 people moved to safety. Fujian province also evacuated 98,900 individuals from hazardous zones.

The typhoon's impact extended to transportation networks. Multiple high-speed rail lines connecting major cities like Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Fuzhou, and Xiamen were suspended from August 9 to August 10. This measure aimed to ensure public safety amidst the severe weather conditions.