Beijing [China], August 24: China has increased its storm and flood response level and activated a series of precautionary measures ahead of Typhoon Kajiki (Typhoon No. 5 in Vietnam) expected to make landfall this afternoon, August 24.
Two southern Chinese provinces , Hainan and Guangdong, are on high alert as Typhoon Kajiki , the country's 13th typhoon and Vietnam's fifth , is forecast to bring strong winds and heavy rain, according to Xinhua News Agency on August 24.
Typhoon Kajiki strengthened into a storm from a tropical depression in the East Sea on the morning of August 23. On the evening of August 23, the storm's center was about 510 km from Sanya city on Hainan Island with maximum winds of 25 m/s and was forecast to strengthen.
Hainan Province raised its flood response level to the second highest level on the evening of August 23. The international airport in Sanya City stopped all flights from 10am on August 24, and all flights were canceled.
China's Ministry of Emergency Management said it had activated response measures and dispatched a task force to Hainan to assist in local flood relief efforts. Images from Chinese media showed ships arriving at Sanya port to anchor ahead of the storm.
China's National Meteorological Center announced that as of 9 a.m. on August 24, Typhoon Kajiki was about 200 km southeast of Sanya, with maximum winds of 38 m/s near the storm's center, according to Reuters.
The storm is likely to intensify as it moves northwest at about 20 km/h, with maximum winds of up to 48 m/s. Heavy rain is forecast for Hainan, Guangdong and Guangxi, with some areas in Hainan receiving up to 400 mm of rain.
Sanya issued a red typhoon alert on the morning of August 24, the highest level of warning. City officials convened a meeting on the evening of August 23 to discuss worst-case scenarios, stressing the need to be vigilant to ensure no casualties.
All schools and construction sites were shut down while shopping malls, restaurants and supermarkets were closed on August 24.
Authorities in Guangdong have also raised their response level as winds begin to strengthen in coastal areas in the region. The provincial weather bureau forecasts that many localities such as the Leizhou Peninsula and the cities of Maoming, Yangjiang, and Jiangmen will experience heavy rain and strong winds from August 24 to 25.
The Hong Kong Observatory had earlier canceled all typhoon warnings as Typhoon Kajiki was not approaching the territory. The agency said on the morning of August 24 that the area near the eye of the storm had maximum winds of 130 km/h, according to the China Daily .
Typhoon Kajiki is expected to strengthen and make landfall in Sanya from the evening of August 24 before moving towards central and northern Vietnam.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
