Southeast China on Alert as Tropical Storm Podul Makes Landfall Amid Torrential Rain
Udumbara
Torrential rain swept southeastern China on Thursday after tropical storm Podul made landfall in Fujian, prompting a blue typhoon warning and black-rain closures in Hong Kong and Macao.
The storm then tracked inland toward eastern Guangdong at 5 a.m. local time.
Observatory forecasters issued a blue typhoon warning at 6 a.m. projecting heavy to torrential rain over the next day across parts of Guangdong, Guangxi, southeastern Fujian, southern Jiangxi, and central-southern Hunan—with hourly rainfall possibly exceeding 2.76 inches.
They continued to put in place an orange warning for heavy rain, the second-highest level in China’s four-tier weather alert system.
Macao’s Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau hoisted the city’s Black Rainstorm Warning at 2 p.m. local time as downpours flooded streets. The Macao SAR Government also announced the suspension of classes amid continuing severe weather.
On the mainland, authorities elevated readiness as Podul advanced inland.
The Ministry of Emergency Management activated a Level 3 emergency response for typhoons earlier in the week, while provincial departments in Fujian reported vessels returning to harbor, coastal attractions closed, and contingency crews on standby ahead of landfall.
China’s state media Xinhua, citing the Fujian meteorological observatory, confirmed Podul’s second landfall near Zhangpu and warned of significant rain and wind impacts in the hours that followed.
Across the Taiwan Strait, Taiwan’s Central Emergency Operations Center, run by the National Fire Agency, conducted consecutive work briefings Aug. 12–14 as Podul crossed the island, reporting injuries and evacuations and coordinating restoration efforts.
