Super typhoon Yagi hits South China
Super typhoon Yagi, the most powerful autumn typhoon to strike the Chinese mainland since the establishment of the People's Republic of China, made landfall in South China's Hainan province on Friday.
It hit Wenchang with wind speeds exceeding level 17 and wreaked havoc on Haikou, Chengmai and Lingao, causing widespread damage. As a result, some cities and counties experienced power, water and communication outages.
A citizen surnamed Zhang, who resides in a high-rise building near Xiuying Port in Haikou, said buildings began to sway as the storm's 12-level winds hit Haikou, causing fear that the windows might shatter. Since 6 pm on Friday, Zhang and his family had been dealing with water seeping in through their windows. Feeling dizzy and palpitations due to low air pressure, the entire family sought refuge in the basement at 8 pm, waiting for the typhoon to pass at around 10 pm before returning home.
On Saturday morning, the Haikou Traffic Police issued a reminder about the aftermath of the typhoon. Many roadside and median guardrails in the city have been blown away, trees have fallen, and there are significant safety hazards on the roads. The public is advised to avoid unnecessary travel to allow space for repair personnel and emergency construction vehicles.
Through overnight emergency clearance efforts, as of 10 am on Saturday, a total of 37 urban roads have been cleared in Haikou.
As of 5:30 pm on Friday, Hainan Power Grid Company has confirmed that 830,000 households have been affected by power outages on multiple lines damaged by fallen trees and debris. In response, the company deployed 1,450 repair personnel and 445 vehicles to expedite the restoration efforts, with power restored to 260,000 households by 10 pm.
Many internet users have commented that compared to Super Typhoon Rammasun which hit the province 10 years ago, the restoration of urban power supply this time has been quite fast.
Following a night of extensive repairs, power was successfully restored to all four water plants by 8 am on Saturday, with nearly two-thirds of residential areas now receiving water services. Officials have also pledged to meet urgent water requirements by implementing delivery services and other necessary measures.
On Saturday morning, the Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention reminded the public to pay special attention to drinking water and environmental hygiene in the aftermath of the typhoon. It is advised that residents consume boiled and disinfected water for safety purposes.
Due to the super typhoon, all flights at Haikou Meilan International Airport were scheduled for cancellation by 3 pm on Saturday. However, Sanya Phoenix International Airport and Qionghai Boao International Airport planned to gradually resume operations starting at 10 am on the same day.
Before the typhoon made landfall, Hainan implemented comprehensive measures to cater to the needs of patients in critical condition, particularly pregnant women who were over 38 weeks gestation. As of 3 pm on Friday, out of the 2,495 identified women, 1,062 were hospitalized for delivery, with 259 having already given birth.
