Typhoon Talim: Airports, schools closed in China; HK scraps trading
Tropical storm "Talim" intensified into a typhoon on Monday and is set to make its landfall in China later in the day. According to Reuters, the China Meteorological Administration issued an "orange alert," notifying that the typhoon is set to further intensify and become a severe typhoon by the time it lands at night (local time) along the southern coast from Hainan to Guangdong.
Typhoon Talim moving at 20km per hour: Weather office
On Monday morning, the country's weather department said that Typhoon Talim was located 375km (230 miles) southeast of Zhanjiang City in the Guangdong province and was traveling at a speed of 20km per hour. Furthermore, the national weather forecaster asked authorities in Hainan and Guangdong to be on standby to respond to the typhoon.
Chilling visuals from Guangdong
Hainan, Guangxi to receive exceptionally heavy rainfall
Meanwhile, the MeT department forecast gale-force winds in areas near the southern provinces and exceptionally heavy downpours of 250-280mm on the southwestern coast of northern Hainan Island and Guangxi. Authorities have also asked ships in the nearby waters of Hainan to come back, with ferry services between Guangdong and Hainan suspended on Sunday amid the upcoming Typhoon Talim.
At least 79 flights canceled in Guangdong
Guangdong's Zhuhai Jinwan Airport also canceled 79 flights on Monday, while the Meilan International Airport in Haikou and Qionghai Boao Airport reportedly canceled all flights amid Typhoon Talim's forecasted landfall. According to the state news outlet China Central Television (CCTV), classes, work, flights, and business activities will be suspended in Haikou from Monday noon as a precautionary measure.
Typhoon Talim's impact on Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, the stock market was closed for the day and nearly 2,000 passengers faced flight delays and cancellations at the airport on Monday morning. As per the South China Morning Post, the Hong Kong Observatory notified, "Gale-force winds will still affect the offshore waters to the southwestern part of Hong Kong at first, and storm force winds will occur on high ground."
