Harshita Mathur, Pune
On Monday 17 July 2023, a tropical storm Talim intensified into a typhoon which is expected to be the first to make landfall in China. As a result, the government has issued an orange alert flood warning, canceled flights and trains, and instructed citizens to stay at home.
In Southern China and Vietnam, thousands of people are being evacuated while several dozens of flights are canceled, owing to the severity of the typhoon. Around 30,000 people are expected to be evacuated from the provinces of Quang Ninh and Hai Phong, according to Vietnamese authorities, starting on Monday afternoon. The national disaster response committee in Vietnam published an online statement warning that the impending storm might be one of the most catastrophic to hit the Gulf of Tonkin and therefore tourists have been advised to vacate the nearby islands, while the airlines have adjusted their schedules to steer clear and safe from the typhoon.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh issued a directive to disaster response teams late on Sunday to be ready for emergency rescue and relief operations, expressing concern about potential flooding. Nearly 1000 people have reportedly been evacuated from Yunfu City in the Guangdong province of South China, according to the Southern Daily. Following the city’s observatory’s storm warning for Talim, markets in Hong Kong have been closed for the day and all court hearings are postponed. The Chinese meteorological center has predicted extremely severe winds in the seas near southern provinces and regions, along with particularly heavy rainfall of 250-280 mm on Guangxi’s southwestern coast and northern Hainan Island. Flash floods are expected in parts of Guangxi until Tuesday.
Hainan’s high-speed rail and commuter trains have been halted, and until Friday and all access points to the tourist island were closed. In addition, Haikou City will be closing its parks, businesses, flights, schools, and other activities starting at noon on Monday, ordering citizens to stay at home and making emergency shelters available to the general public.