Terrifying typhoon shakes China: Is this the new normal?

China’s Guangdong province was hit by Typhoon Talim late Monday evening, bringing with it high-speed winds and prompting warnings of flash floods.

The typhoon landed in Zhanjiang City around 10:20 pm local time, with the wind speed near the centre of the storm recorded at approximately 136.8 kph (85 mph).

Following an orange alert, the country’s second-highest warning level, authorities managed to evacuate around 230,000 individuals from Guangdong, while about 8,000 workers from fish farms were brought to safety. Predictions from the meteorological department suggest continued gale-force winds and heavy rainfall of 250-280 mm (9.8-11 inches) on the southwestern coast of Guangxi and northern Hainan Island.

With the anticipation of “violent” waves reaching six to nine metres (20 to 30 feet) hitting northern parts of the South China Sea, nearly 5,000 members of emergency response and rescue teams have been mobilised. Meanwhile, airports continue to face disruptions, and tourists are being urged to leave outlying islands.

Typhoon Talim hits Guangdong, China: Evacuations and disruptions follow. Photo courtesy of Neenu Vimalkumar on Unsplash.

The impact of the typhoon was felt even before it made landfall, with at least 1,000 people evacuated in Yunfu City. Hong Kong’s $5.2 trillion stock market also experienced disruptions, halting trading.

Contrasting with the flood-like conditions in the southern region, northwest China has been grappling with extreme heat. On Sunday, temperatures in Sanbao township, Xinjiang’s Tupan Depression, reached 52.2 degrees Celsius.