Typhoon Noulas Makes Landfall in China's Mainland

Typhoon Noulas made landfall on China's mainland early Sunday morning, striking the southern coast near Pinghai city in Guangdong province. The storm, described as the most powerful to hit the country this year, made landfall approximately 80 km northeast of the financial hub of Hong Kong, according to state television station CCTV.

Sustained winds reached up to 162 km/h, accompanied by severe gales and torrential rains, as depicted in footage shared by CCTV. The images showed streets littered with debris from the storm's fury. In preparation for the typhoon's arrival, authorities in southern China had previously evacuated over 340,000 people and raised the highest-level red alert.

Hong Kong also issued a typhoon warning. The city's airport reported at least 350 flight cancellations for Sunday, affecting travel in and out of the region. The Hong Kong government confirmed that nine people sustained injuries, and more than 100 reports of fallen trees were received.

According to the Hong Kong Observatory, Noulas continues to move inland over Guangdong and is gradually weakening. However, storm gusts are still affecting many areas of Hong Kong, with hurricane-force gusts reported in higher elevations. CCTV reported that Noulas is expected to continue moving inland, bringing strong winds and rain to Jiangxi, Hunan, and Hubei provinces. The heavy rainfall associated with the typhoon could persist until Tuesday, potentially affecting provinces further north, including Henan and Shandong.

Scientists note that extreme weather events like typhoons are becoming more frequent and intense due to human-induced climate change. Last July, Typhoon Maysak caused 50 fatalities in China.

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Noulas continues to move inland over Guangdong and is gradually weakening, but storm gusts continue to rage in many Hong Kong districts, with hurricane-force gusts occurring in higher areas.