China Issues Red Alert for Typhoon Saola Bringing Gales and Heavy Rain

China’s National Meteorological Centre (NMC) has issued a renewed red alert, the highest level of its typhoon warning system, for Typhoon Saola. The ninth typhoon of the year is forecasted to bring strong winds and heavy rainfall to the southern and eastern parts of the country. The typhoon is currently located southeast of Guangdong Province and is expected to move northwestward at a slower pace, making landfall somewhere between Huilai and Hong Kong on Friday afternoon or evening.

Areas around the Bashi Channel, Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, and coastal regions of Fujian, Guangdong, and Taiwan are expected to experience gales with wind forces exceeding grade 17 near the typhoon center. Heavy rainfall is anticipated in parts of Fujian, Guangdong, and Taiwan, with some areas receiving downpours of 100 to 220 mm. The NMC has also advised suspending gatherings and outdoor activities and recommended precautionary measures for vulnerable housing and possible geological disasters.