Travelers arrive at Haikou Meilan International Airport in South China's Hainan Province on September 8, 2024 as the airport resumed flight operations after being temporarily closed due to the impact of Super Typhoon Yagi, the strongest to hit the Chinese mainland in autumn on record. Photo: VCG

Super Typhoon Yagi has killed four, injured 95 and affected over 526,100 people in South China's Hainan Province after making two landfalls. It is the strongest typhoon to hit the Chinese mainland in autumn on record, local authorities said at a press conference on Saturday. 

Also as the fourth strongest typhoon since 1949, the Super Typhoon Yagi made landfall twice in South China's Hainan and Guangdong provinces on Friday, and remained as a super typhoon as it made the second landfall in Xuwen county in Guangdong, a similar situation only occurred to Super Typhoon Rammasun in 2014, according to weather.com.cn.

"The destruction and impact of this typhoon have been far beyond imagination and unusually catastrophic, causing significant losses to people's lives and property," Pan Shaoli, director of the Department of Emergency Management of Hainan Province, said during a press conference on Saturday evening. 

According to Pan, Typhoon Yagi has resulted in four deaths and 95 injuries, with a total of 526,100 people in 19 cities and counties in Hainan Province being affected. The typhoon made its first landfall in the coastal area of Wenchang city on Friday afternoon, with its impact fading by early Saturday morning

Wenchang city was the hardest hit, while Haikou city and other areas also experienced significant impacts.

As of 3 pm on Saturday, a total of 312,600 people had been evacuated as a precautionary measure. 

In Guangdong, Typhoon Yagi made its second landfall on Friday night in Xuwen county with the maximum wind speed near its center at the time of the landfall remained at 58 meters per second, classifying it as a super typhoon, according to China Central Television (CCTV). 

As of 11 am on Saturday, a total of 720,000 people had been relocated in the province. 

On Saturday afternoon, Typhoon Yagi made its third landfall near the China-Vietnam border Quang Ninh province in northern Vietnam as a super typhoon, and then moved further inland within Vietnam, rapidly weakening in intensity. 

China's National Meteorological Center (NMC) on Sunday forecast that regions including South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Southwest China's Yunnan Province will experience heavy rains or rainstorms on Sunday and Monday due to Yagi's low-pressure system and outer cloud bands. 

The NMC reminded authorities to enhance efforts in preventing potential flooding in small- and medium-sized rivers, flash floods, geological disasters, and waterlogging in both urban and rural areas.

Global Times