Typhoon Noul intensified as it moved toward southern China on Saturday, prompting authorities to evacuate thousands of residents and place the region on high alert, while Hong Kong cancelled more than 150 flights as the powerful storm threatened to bring destructive winds, torrential rain and widespread disruption.
Typhoon Noul intensified as it moved toward southern China, prompting authorities to raise emergency alerts, evacuate thousands of residents, and prepare for potentially dangerous winds and torrential rain, while Hong Kong cancelled more than 150 flights ahead of the storm’s expected approach.
The powerful tropical cyclone was bringing increasingly severe weather conditions across the northeastern part of the South China Sea on Saturday as it moved steadily toward the coast of eastern Guangdong. Authorities across the region warned residents to remain vigilant as Noul strengthened and threatened to disrupt transportation, damage infrastructure, and produce hazardous conditions along coastal communities.
Hong Kong’s Observatory reported that Typhoon Noul had intensified, with maximum sustained winds of approximately 140 kilometers per hour near its center. The storm was forecast to continue moving toward the coast, raising concerns over strong winds, squally showers, rough seas and potentially dangerous conditions in areas along the storm’s projected path.
Forecasters said Noul could make landfall on Sunday morning near the southern Chinese cities of Huizhou and Shanwei. China’s national weather authorities, however, placed the expected landfall window between late Saturday and early Sunday, reflecting the rapidly developing nature of the storm as it approached the Guangdong coastline.
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The approaching typhoon prompted authorities to activate precautionary measures in vulnerable areas, including evacuations as officials sought to move residents away from locations at risk of flooding, landslides and storm-related damage. Thousands of people were evacuated as communities prepared for the possibility of worsening weather and the storm’s potentially dangerous impact.
Hong Kong also braced for major disruption. The city’s international airport faced widespread cancellations, with its website showing more than 150 flights cancelled for Saturday and Sunday as airlines responded to the worsening weather conditions. Additional delays and cancellations remained possible as the storm moved closer and authorities continued to assess the threat posed by strong winds and heavy rain.
The typhoon also caused concern in the densely populated urban environment of Hong Kong after parts of scaffolding attached to a high-rise building collapsed on Saturday afternoon, according to local police. Initial reports indicated that no injuries had been recorded, although the incident underscored the risks posed by powerful winds to temporary structures, construction sites and buildings across the affected region.
Authorities continued to warn residents to secure loose objects, avoid unnecessary travel and closely monitor official weather advisories as Noul approached. Coastal areas were expected to experience increasingly dangerous conditions, while heavy rainfall could trigger localized flooding and disrupt road, rail and air transportation.
Noul is the third typhoon to threaten the region this month, adding to growing concerns over a particularly active period of tropical weather affecting southern China and nearby areas. The repeated arrival of powerful storms has placed additional pressure on emergency services, transport operators and local governments already dealing with the challenges posed by severe weather.
Meteorological authorities said conditions could deteriorate rapidly as Noul moved closer to land. Even if the storm weakens after making landfall, its heavy rain and powerful wind bands could continue to affect wide areas, potentially causing flooding, infrastructure damage and further disruptions to travel.
Residents across southern China and Hong Kong were urged to remain alert and follow instructions from local authorities as the storm approached. Officials warned that the exact track and intensity of Noul could still change, making continued monitoring essential as the region prepared for the typhoon’s expected landfall.
With thousands already evacuated, flights cancelled and emergency preparations underway, Typhoon Noul has emerged as a major weather threat to southern China and Hong Kong, with authorities bracing for a potentially dangerous weekend of strong winds, heavy rain and widespread disruption.
Thousands Evacuated Across Southern China as Typhoon Noul Approaches
More than 20,000 people have been evacuated in southern China as Typhoon Noul continued moving toward the region, with authorities preparing for heavy rain, strong winds and potentially dangerous conditions across parts of Guangdong and neighboring areas.
China’s National Meteorological Center warned that parts of southeastern Guangdong and the southern coast of Fujian could experience heavy rainfall over the weekend as the powerful storm approached. The forecast raised concerns over possible flooding, transportation disruptions and other hazards in areas expected to be affected by Noul’s rain bands.
Local media reported that more than 20,000 people had already been evacuated in Guangdong province by late Friday as authorities moved residents away from areas considered vulnerable to the storm. The evacuations formed part of a broader emergency response aimed at reducing the risk to communities in low-lying areas and other locations exposed to flooding, landslides and strong winds.
The approaching typhoon also disrupted transportation across the province. Train services in Guangdong were cancelled for Sunday, according to the China News Service, as officials prepared for the possibility of worsening weather conditions and sought to protect passengers and railway workers from the storm’s impact.
The suspension of train services added to a growing list of disruptions caused by Noul, which has already affected air travel and prompted widespread preparations across southern China and Hong Kong. Authorities warned that additional cancellations and interruptions could occur as the storm moved closer to the coast.
Typhoon Noul also affected weather conditions in Taiwan. The island’s Central Weather Administration said the storm was bringing rainfall to parts of southern and eastern Taiwan as it passed over waters south of the island. By Saturday, Noul was moving away from Taiwan, although some areas continued to experience rain associated with the storm.
The storm’s movement across the region came during a period of repeated tropical cyclone activity in East Asia. Earlier this month, Typhoon Bavi brought strong winds and heavy rain to eastern China, prompting the evacuation of more than two million people before making landfall on July 11.
Another typhoon, Maysak, made landfall in southern China on July 3, adding to concerns over the repeated threat of severe weather in the region. The succession of storms has placed significant pressure on local governments and emergency services, forcing authorities to repeatedly prepare evacuations, suspend transportation and protect communities from potentially dangerous weather.
The arrival of Noul has therefore created another major challenge for authorities across southern China. With tens of thousands of residents already evacuated and train services suspended, officials continued to monitor the storm’s movement and the possibility of further rainfall as it approached the coast.
Heavy rain remains one of the major concerns associated with the typhoon. Prolonged rainfall can quickly overwhelm drainage systems, raise river levels and trigger flooding, particularly in areas that have already experienced significant rainfall or remain vulnerable because of their geography.
Authorities urged residents to remain alert and follow official instructions as the storm approached. People in affected areas were advised to avoid unnecessary travel, secure items that could be blown away by strong winds and stay updated on the latest weather and emergency announcements.
The threat posed by Noul also highlighted the continuing challenge faced by the region during an active period of tropical weather. As one storm follows another, communities and emergency responders must remain prepared for rapidly changing conditions, including heavy rain, strong winds and disruptions to transportation and daily life.
With more than 20,000 people already evacuated in Guangdong, train services cancelled and heavy rain forecast across parts of southern China, Typhoon Noul continued to pose a serious threat as authorities worked to protect residents and limit the potential impact of the storm. / Aptikons