Guangdong has evacuated over 32,000 people from rain-affected areas, while Guangxi’s Nanning city has recorded 2 deaths and roughly 48,000 evacuations
Southern China evacuates thousands in the wake of Typhoon Maysak
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Heavy rainfall from Typhoon Maysak has resulted in the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents across Southern China in recent days. According to Guangdong’s Department of Emergency Management, as of 4 July (7 pm), some 32,062 people in the province or its coastal waters had been taken to safety.
The total includes 10,717 individuals at sea and 21,345 people on land. Meanwhile, five cities and 39 counties in Guangdong, including Zhuhai, Jiangmen, Yangjiang, kept their typhoon and flood emergency alerts in place.
Although Typhoon Maysak has weakened since making landfall, it is continuing to impact Guangdong, with torrential rain drenching various parts of the region yesterday and today.
Shaoguan, Qingyuan, western Guangdong and the Pearl River Delta were hit by heavy to torrential rain yesterday, according to Guangdong’s forecaster. Other parts of the region saw showers and thunderstorms. Local meteorologists expect similar weather conditions to persist today, forecasting rainfall and thunderstorms across the province.
Weather predictions as Typhoon Maysak weakens
Guangdong’s neighbouring province, Guangxi, was hit particularly hard by Typhoon Maysak. At a press conference last night, government officials from Nanning said that the typhoon had impacted around 55,000 people in the city so far, resulting in 2 deaths and the evacuation of roughly 48,000 people.
As a result of severe flooding, which have breached some local dams, Guangxi’s flood emergency response was upgraded from level 3 to level 2 yesterday, with level 1 being the highest tier. To help with the relief effort, 1,372 rescue workers, 270 vehicles and 140 boats were dispatched to the impacted areas.
[See more: The ultimate Macao typhoon survival guide]
In the meantime, another weather system – Super Typhoon Bavi – has formed. According to current projections, the cyclone is expected to gradually make its way through the eastern waters of Taiwan on Thursday, before moving in a northwesterly direction towards east China the following day.
In a dispatch published yesterday, Macao’s weather forecaster said the chance of Bavi directly hitting Macao was “low.” However, it added that the typhoon’s outer subsiding air would affect the coast of south China, resulting in scorching weather in Macao later this week, with temperatures of 33°C or above.
The Hong Kong Observatory has made a similar forecast, noting that “it will be extremely hot over Guangdong on Friday and Saturday,” with the heat resulting in showers.
Looking to the rest of Guangdong, forecasters predict moderate to heavy rain in the western parts of Guangdong and the Pearl River Delta, as well as torrential showers in certain areas tomorrow. Other cities and counties will see occasional showers.
With Typhoon Maysak having weakened, the weather will clear up on Thursday and Friday, with temperatures varying between 35 to 38°C.
