Typhoon Saudel Hits East China, Causing Significant Disruptions
Typhoon Saudel's Impact on Fujian Province
Screengrab image shows streets inundated with water following heavy rainfall and typhoon Saudel surge(Photo: X)
Beijing, September 3: The 18th typhoon of the year, Saudel, made its third landfall early Thursday morning on the eastern coast of China's Fujian Province, registering maximum sustained winds of 23 meters per second near its center, as reported by the provincial meteorological observatory.
The typhoon struck Zhangpu County in Zhangzhou City at approximately 6:30 a.m. on Thursday.
Previously, on August 28, Saudel had already made two landfalls along the coast of Zhejiang Province, first hitting at around 8:05 a.m. with winds reaching 35 meters per second (Force 12) near its center, according to reports from the provincial meteorological observatory.
Just over an hour later, at about 9:10 a.m., it made its second landfall near Wenzhou City in Zhejiang, with maximum sustained winds of 33 meters per second.
In response to the impending storm, Zhejiang had elevated its typhoon emergency response to Level I, the highest alert level, on August 27, ensuring that no individuals, vessels, or activities remained at sea.
As of 7 a.m. on August 28, around 247,700 residents from high-risk areas in Fujian had been evacuated, with over 80,000 emergency personnel and equipment on standby, according to the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters.
To mitigate risks associated with the typhoon, Zhejiang conducted thorough inspections. More than 4,000 monitoring personnel executed over 19,000 patrols across more than 7,200 geological hazard sites, while 564 geological experts were deployed to assist in risk assessment across 73 counties.
The National Meteorological Centre had issued a typhoon alert on the morning of August 28, predicting that the storm would move southwest at a speed of 20 to 25 kilometers per hour and gradually weaken.