Typhoon Matmo Struck Southern China Causing Massive Evacuations
The powerful storm struck the coast on the coastal regions of China on Sunday afternoon, shortly after sweeping across the island province of Hainan. The intense weather led to the relocation of approximately 350,000 residents, bringing heavy downpours and destructive gusts, especially between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Wenchang in Hainan. Boat transport were halted and air travel disrupted at Haikou Meilan airport.
Storm Details
Matmo, the 21st typhoon of the year, recorded wind speeds of 94mph and dumped more than 50mm of rainfall in a short period in Chongzou and Qinzhou. The city of Nanning also experienced significant rain amounts.
The storm prompted China's highest-level emergency warning, with disturbances in the city, where businesses, transport links and roads were shut. In Hong Kong, 100 flights were affected and 30 cancelled.
Future Projections
As Matmo moves inland towards the provincial area in the neighboring country, it is expected to diminish into a less intense system with 55mph winds but will continue to bring heavy rainfall. Northern Vietnam could face significant rainfall on Monday, raising the threat of flooding and landslides. The weather pattern is anticipated to move towards Yunnan province in China, where further heavy rainfall is probable.
Other Storm Systems
Meanwhile, Hurricane Priscilla formed off Mexico's Pacific coast on Saturday night, initially as a storm system. It led to a storm watch for south-western regions from a coastal point to Punta Mita on Monday.
In the early hours of Sunday, Priscilla was about 491 kilometers from a Mexican cape with continuous gusts of 105km/h. It intensified into a hurricane in the night, when wind speeds peaked at 121km/h.
Though not expected to hit the coast, the storm is likely to generate hazardous swells and strong currents as it tracks northwestward along the coast towards a Mexican state. Substantial rain is forecast on the coming day, amounting to a considerable volume in specific Mexican states, with local totals at about 200mm. Colima and western Jalisco could receive 50-100mm.
In other parts, a cyclone named Shakhti has developed as the initial post-season cyclonic storm of 2025 in the Arabian Sea, causing an alert from the national weather agency for an Indian state. On that day, Shakhti was 209 kilometers southeast of a location in Oman with maximum sustained winds of 64mph.
The storm, which has tracked in a southwestern direction and weakened, is predicted to turn eastward into the the sea. Rough seas are likely to continue along the coastal stretch and heavy rainfall is anticipated in shoreline areas including specific Indian cities.
