BEIJING: Typhoon Saudel brought torrential rain and widespread flooding to parts of China’s southern and eastern coastline on Friday, forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes and disrupting schools and transport.
The storm made another landfall in Fujian province, where authorities evacuated more than 83,000 people as rivers rose and communities faced the threat of flooding and landslides.
Heavy rainfall also affected Guangdong, Zhejiang and surrounding areas, with hundreds of thousands of people displaced or moved away from areas considered vulnerable to the storm.
In the tea-growing village of Jinxi, a three-storey building collapsed during the severe weather, while emergency teams in Fuding rescued residents from deep floodwaters. Flooding in Putian damaged infrastructure and left some residents unaccounted for.
Authorities closed schools, suspended some transport services and activated emergency flood measures as the typhoon moved through the region. Rescue personnel remained on alert for landslides and other secondary disasters caused by saturated ground and overflowing waterways.
Saudel is the seventh typhoon to strike China in 2026, during what has developed into an unusually severe storm season.
Meteorological experts have linked this year’s unusual typhoon activity in part to a strong El Niño weather pattern, which can alter storm formation and trajectories across the Pacific.
Authorities are continuing to monitor rivers and mountainous areas as further rainfall could trigger additional flooding and landslides even after the centre of the storm moves away from the coast.