Typhoon Noul makes landfall in China, with hundreds of thousands evacuated

Typhoon Noul struck southern China early Sunday morning, making landfall near Huidong county in Huizhou, Guangdong province, at approximately 3:50am local time. The storm brought sustained winds of 110 kilometres per hour and heavy rainfall to the affected regions, including Hong Kong. According to China's official weather agencies, Noul represented the strongest typhoon to make landfall in the country during the year to date.

Authorities responded swiftly to the approaching storm, relocating more than 715,000 residents in Guangdong province by early Sunday for their safety. The evacuation efforts reflected the scale of the threat posed by the typhoon's intensity and projected path. As the system moved inland, it began to weaken progressively, though continued to pose significant hazards across southern Guangdong and southeastern Fujian provinces.

The typhoon's impact on Hong Kong proved substantial, with the airport authority cancelling approximately 350 flights on Sunday. At least nine people sustained injuries across the city during the storm period. Structural damage was also reported, including the partial collapse of scaffolding on a high-rise building on Saturday afternoon, though initial assessments indicated no casualties from that incident. Environmental damage included widespread uprooting of trees in coastal areas such as Huilai county.

Taiwan experienced peripheral effects as Noul passed through waters south of the island, bringing rainfall to southern and eastern regions before moving away. The typhoon followed two other significant storms that had impacted the region earlier in July, including Typhoon Bavi, which had prompted the evacuation of over two million people.