Typhoon Noul prompts mass evacuation in China's Guangdong province

Chinese authorities have initiated a massive evacuation effort, moving over 340,000 residents from Guangdong province as Typhoon Noul barrels toward the coast. The storm is projected to make landfall early Sunday morning.

The typhoon is expected to hit the coast between Shenzhen and Haikou. In response, China's National Meteorological Center has issued a red typhoon warning, the most severe alert level. Forecasters predict heavy rainfall and winds reaching up to 173 kilometers per hour in Guangdong and neighboring provinces Hunan and Jiangxi overnight Saturday into Sunday and Sunday into Monday.

In Guangdong province, the evacuations are underway in 12 cities, including major centers like Guangzhou, Dongguan, and Shantou. Authorities have ordered the closure of schools and workplaces, and public transportation has been either partially or fully suspended. All train services in the province are set to be halted on Sunday, according to CCTV.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong is also bracing for the storm, with its meteorological service having issued a Level 3 typhoon warning. The Hong Kong Observatory is considering raising the warning level early Sunday morning, noting that winds are expected to increase significantly overnight. The city's airport authority has reported at least 49 flight cancellations and 238 flight delays, with further disruptions anticipated on Sunday.