Typhoon Saudel Makes Double Landfall in China, Disrupting Transport
SCMP · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Typhoon Saudel struck China's eastern coast on Friday, making landfall first in Yuhuan, Taizhou at around 8am and then again in Wenzhou an hour later, packing winds of up to 126km/h . The storm forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights and suspension of ferry services across major hubs including Ningbo and Shanghai . Authorities maintained the highest red typhoon warning as heavy rainfall is expected to continue affecting multiple provinces through Monday .
Key Points
- Typhoon Saudel made its first landfall in the coastal area of Kanmen Subdistrict in Yuhuan of Taizhou, Zhejiang Province at around 8:05am on Friday with maximum sustained winds of 35 meters per second
- The storm's centre briefly moved out to sea before making a second landfall at Wenzhou at about 9:10am, with minimum central pressure of 975 hectopascals
- Ningbo Lishe International Airport suspended all flights from 11:30pm Thursday, resuming at 11am Friday, but cancelled 16 inbound and 28 outbound flights
- Wenzhou cancelled 197 flights on Friday while Shanghai Passenger Ferry Company suspended routes from 9am except for the Changxing-Hengsha crossing
- This was the third typhoon to make landfall in Zhejiang this year, equalling the province's 2004 record of three typhoon landfalls in a single year
- Zhejiang and Fujian provinces are expected to bear the brunt of the heaviest rainfall, with torrential downpours forecast
Why It Matters
As the seventh typhoon to strike mainland China this year, Saudel's double landfall demonstrates the intensity of this typhoon season and the heightened risks of flooding across nine provincial-level regions . Major carriers including Air China and China Southern Airlines are offering free rebooking or full refunds for affected passengers travelling through Saturday, underscoring the scale of travel disruption .
As the seventh typhoon to strike mainland China this year, Saudel's double landfall demonstrates the intensity of this typhoon season and the heightened risks of flooding across nine provincial-level regions . Major carriers including Air China and China Southern Airlines are offering free rebooking or full refunds for affected passengers travelling through Saturday, underscoring the scale of travel disruption .