Did Typhoon Tapah Make Landfall in China?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Typhoon Tapah landed in Guangdong Province, causing significant disruption.
- Approximately 120,000 students faced school closures.
- Over 41,000 residents were evacuated for safety.
- Emergency teams are on high alert, ready to respond to potential crises.
- Weather forecasts indicate ongoing rain and wind conditions.
Guangzhou, Sep 8 (NationPress) Typhoon Tapah, the 16th storm of the year, struck south China's Guangdong Province early Monday morning, resulting in widespread school closures and the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents.
The typhoon, boasting maximum winds of up to 30 meters per second near its center, made landfall in Taishan, a county-level city in Jiangmen City, around 8:50 a.m., as reported by the provincial meteorological observatory.
Classes were suspended for approximately 120,000 students across 182 educational institutions, including schools and kindergartens in Taishan, while over 41,000 individuals from Jiangmen were relocated to safer locations.
Jiangmen's maritime bureau disclosed that it had preemptively deployed 43 volunteer sea rescue teams and 30 vessels to address potential emergencies. More than 3,300 emergency personnel are currently on standby in Taishan.
In the neighboring Yangjiang City, local authorities initiated emergency shelters on Monday for affected residents.
As a result of the typhoon, certain areas in Guangdong experienced intense rain and strong winds. Meteorological authorities predict that Tapah will continue its northwest trajectory at roughly 20 km per hour and gradually weaken, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Earlier, the Hong Kong Observatory announced it would uphold its No. 8 Southeast Gale or Storm Signal until at least 1 p.m. Monday due to Typhoon Tapah.
The observatory first issued the No. 8 signal, the third-highest warning in Hong Kong's five-tier typhoon warning system, on Sunday evening.
The Airport Authority Hong Kong forecasts the cancellation of approximately 100 flights on Monday. Amusement parks and clinics are also closed due to Tapah's impact.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has implemented precautions such as preparing flood barriers and having emergency response teams ready.
The observatory reported that Tapah is moving inland after making landfall in Guangdong Province and is now further away from Hong Kong. While wind strength is expected to decrease, Hong Kong should remain vigilant against rainstorms and large waves on Monday.