Typhoon Noul Slams Southern China, Forcing Hundreds of Thousands to Flee

.

Landfall and Immediate Impact

Typhoon Noul came ashore in Huidong county, near the city of Huizhou in Guangdong province, at around 3:50 a.m. local time on Sunday. The storm carried maximum sustained winds of roughly 145 kph (90 mph), making it the strongest typhoon to hit mainland China so far this year.

China's National Meteorological Center had tracked the storm as it intensified over the South China Sea, warning of destructive winds, heavy rainfall, and a heightened risk of flooding and landslides. Some forecasts pointed to rainfall totals between 500 and 600 millimeters (20 to 24 inches) in the hardest-hit areas.

.

Mass Evacuations and Emergency Measures

Guangdong's emergency management authorities relocated more than 340,000 residents ahead of the storm's arrival. Twelve cities across the province activated what officials call the "five suspensions" (a coordinated shutdown of classes, work, factory production, public transport, and business operations) to limit exposure to the storm.

Train services across the province were canceled for Sunday. The national flood control authority raised its emergency response level for Guangdong and neighboring Fujian province, while a separate flood alert was issued for Jiangxi and Hunan further inland.

.

Hong Kong and Regional Effects

Hong Kong's Observatory tracked Noul as it moved across the South China Sea before weakening over inland Guangdong. The city's airport reported more than 150 flight cancellations over the weekend.

Strong winds caused scaffolding on a high-rise building in Hong Kong to partially collapse Saturday afternoon. Police said early reports indicated no injuries. In Taiwan, the storm's outer bands brought rain to the island's southern and eastern coasts before it moved away over the weekend.

.

Part of a Pattern: A Turbulent Typhoon Season

Noul is the third significant typhoon to strike China within a month. Typhoon Bavi made landfall on July 11, triggering the evacuation of more than 2 million people in eastern China. Typhoon Maysak came ashore in southern China on July 3.

The clustering of storms has put a strain on emergency services across multiple provinces, with authorities juggling overlapping flood and wind warnings even as recovery from earlier storms continues.

.

Outlook

Meteorologists expect Noul to weaken steadily as it moves further inland over Guangdong, though heavy rain is likely to persist in mountainous areas of eastern Guangdong and Fujian, where flash floods and landslides remain a risk in the coming days. Authorities are expected to keep transport and business suspensions in place in the most affected counties until conditions stabilize.

.

Sources:

1. CBS News – https://www.cbsnews.com/news/typhoon-noul-china-hong-kong-weather-storm-evacuations/
2. The Washington Times – https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/jul/25/southern-china-high-alert-typhoon-noul-340000-evacuated-flights/
3. The Watchers (meteorological analysis) – https://watchers.news/2026/07/25/over-20-000-evacuated-as-typhoon-noul-approaches-guangdong-up-to-600-mm-24-inches-of-rain-forecast-china/

.