Typhoon Matmo prompts evacuations in China

A flooded street in San Roque, Philippines, on Saturday. Pic/AFP

Typhoon Matmo strengthened ahead of making landfall on Sunday in China, prompting the government to evacuate some 347,000 people from the southern provinces of Guangdong and Hainan. The typhoon had maximum sustained wind speeds of 151 kmph on Sunday morning. It hit Zhanjiang in Guangdong around mid-afternoon Sunday.

The weather authority issued a red-level typhoon warning, the highest in its system. Hainan, which is also in the pathway of the storm, cancelled flights and shut down public transport and businesses starting Saturday in preparation for the storm.

The province also preemptively evacuated 197,856 people, according to state media. Matmo directly hit the southwestern parts of Guangdong, where 151,000 people were evacuated. Authorities are also warning of heavy rain, with rainfall expected to hit 100 to 249 mm in some regions.

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