Typhoon Saudel hits Zhejiang as China warns nine regions of prolonged flooding

Typhoon Saudel made landfall on China’s eastern coast in Zhejiang province shortly after 8 am on August 28, bringing winds of around 35 metres per second as authorities warned that its most consequential effects could come from prolonged rainfall spreading hundreds of kilometres inland over the next several days.

China’s meteorological authorities said the centre crossed the coast around Kanmen in Yuhuan, part of Taizhou city, at approximately 8:05 am with central atmospheric pressure of about 975 hectopascals. The storm had previously regained severe-typhoon strength over the East China Sea before weakening somewhat as it approached land.

Authorities issued a red typhoon warning, the highest level in China’s national system, and prepared for heavy to extreme rainfall across Zhejiang and Fujian before the weakening circulation moves towards Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou and Yunnan.

How powerful was Typhoon Saudel when it reached the Zhejiang coastline?

Saudel arrived as a full typhoon with winds near its centre around force 12 on China’s wind scale, equivalent to approximately 35 metres per second. Although weaker than its earlier severe-typhoon phase, that intensity remains capable of damaging roofs, trees, power infrastructure and coastal facilities, particularly where gusts exceed sustained wind measurements.

The storm had developed over the western Pacific on August 19 and strengthened considerably while travelling northwest. At its peak it reached super-typhoon intensity before cooler sea temperatures and increasing wind shear weakened the circulation, although it strengthened again as it approached eastern China.

The changing intensity demonstrates why forecasts are updated repeatedly rather than treating a storm’s peak category as the force with which it will necessarily reach land. Ocean temperature, atmospheric winds, dry air and interaction with coastlines can strengthen or weaken a cyclone significantly within a day.

For residents, however, category changes can obscure practical danger. A weaker storm can still produce catastrophic flooding if it slows down or carries enormous quantities of tropical moisture inland.

Why are Zhejiang and Fujian facing such serious rainfall concerns?

Saudel has a large circulation and is interacting with broader atmospheric systems capable of keeping moisture concentrated over eastern and southern China. Forecasters have warned that parts of Zhejiang and Fujian could receive torrential or locally extreme rainfall, while some earlier projections indicated isolated accumulations above 500 millimetres in particularly exposed areas.

Coastal Zhejiang faces an additional compound hazard because strong winds, intense rainfall and elevated sea levels can occur simultaneously. Chinese forecasters have referred to a combination of wind, rain and tide around the landfall region, increasing the risk that drainage systems and rivers cannot discharge water effectively into the sea.

Mountainous terrain further inland creates another danger because tropical rainfall can generate landslides and flash floods even after coastal winds weaken. Communities that never experience typhoon-force winds can therefore face severe consequences from the same storm one or two days later.

This pattern explains why the forecast impact zone extends across nine provincial-level regions. The storm’s eventual inland remnant may look much less dramatic on satellite imagery while still carrying enough moisture to produce dangerous rainfall.

What precautions did Chinese authorities take before landfall?

Zhejiang progressively raised its emergency response as Saudel approached, moving to Level II by August 26 while local meteorological offices issued increasingly severe warnings. Officials ordered authorities to prepare evacuations from exposed coastal and mountainous locations, secure port infrastructure and move vessels away from dangerous waters.

The national red warning urged suspension of dangerous outdoor activities and large gatherings, reinforced requirements for ships to shelter and advised residents to remain in secure buildings during the strongest winds. Local warning systems around Taizhou indicated possible coastal gusts reaching force 14 or 15 before landfall.

Fujian separately raised its typhoon emergency response to Level II while maintaining flood-response measures, reflecting concern that the province could receive major rainfall even if the storm centre crossed the coast farther north.

China’s ability to move large numbers of people before cyclones has significantly reduced direct wind and storm-surge fatalities compared with earlier decades. The continuing challenge is ensuring that warnings translate into timely evacuations in mountainous communities where rainfall-triggered disasters can occur after attention has shifted away from the coastline.

Why can inland flooding become more dangerous after the typhoon weakens?

Tropical cyclones lose access to warm ocean energy after landfall, causing their winds to decline, but the circulation can continue transporting huge amounts of moisture. When that air rises over mountains or interacts with cooler weather systems, rainfall can intensify even while the storm’s official wind category falls.

Saudel is expected to influence parts of southern and central China through approximately August 31. The prolonged duration increases the possibility of soils becoming saturated, rivers rising progressively and smaller reservoirs or drainage systems reaching capacity.

Flood risk is therefore cumulative rather than determined by the heaviest single hour of rain. A slope that remains stable after 100 millimetres can fail after another day of precipitation, while rivers can continue rising long after rainfall at one location begins easing.

Emergency management must consequently follow the storm inland instead of scaling down once coastal winds subside. Search-and-rescue teams, reservoir operators and local governments across downstream provinces may become more important during the second and third days than coastal responders were during landfall.

What should be watched as Saudel moves deeper into China?

The immediate indicators are rainfall totals, river levels, landslide reports, power outages and whether local authorities need to expand evacuation orders. Early landfall information did not establish a major casualty toll, but damage assessments often take time when communications and roads are disrupted.

Forecasters will also watch whether Saudel interacts with cooler air as it travels inland. Such interaction can enlarge rainfall zones and cause precipitation to persist well away from the original cyclone track.

Agriculture could become another important consequence because late-August crops across several provinces are vulnerable to waterlogging and wind damage. Large rainfall totals can affect rice, vegetables, fruit and transport networks even where urban centres avoid major destruction.

Saudel reached Zhejiang as a dangerous typhoon, but the next several days will determine its real place in China’s 2026 disaster season. For millions of people away from the coastline, the most important stage may begin only after the storm has disappeared from the category maps and its remaining moisture starts moving inland.