Typhoon Matmo Slammed Southern China Bringing Massive Relocations

The powerful storm struck the coast on the southern shores of China on Sunday afternoon, following its passage over the provincial island of Hainan. The intense weather led to the relocation of around 350,000 residents, bringing heavy downpours and destructive gusts, particularly between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Wenchang in Hainan. Ferry services were halted and flights cancelled at the airport in Haikou.

Storm Details

Matmo, this year's 21st cyclone of the year, had sustained wind speeds of 151km/h and poured more than 50mm of rainfall in six hours in Chongzou and Qinzhou. The city of Nanning also experienced high rainfall totals.

Matmo triggered China's top-tier red alert, with disturbances in Zhanjiang, where businesses, transportation systems and roads were closed. In Hong Kong, numerous air services were impacted and dozens called off.

Forecast and Movement

As the typhoon advances inward towards the provincial area in Vietnam, it is projected to weaken into a tropical depression with 55mph winds but will persist to bring heavy rainfall. Vietnam's northern regions could face 130-150mm on Monday, increasing the threat of inundation and mudslides. The weather pattern is expected to move towards Yunnan province in China, where additional intense rain is probable.

Other Storm Systems

At the same time, a hurricane named Priscilla developed off the Pacific shoreline of Mexico on Saturday night, first as a tropical storm. It prompted a storm watch for the southwestern areas from a coastal point to another location on the start of the week.

In the early hours of Sunday, Priscilla was about 491 kilometers from Cabo Corrientes with continuous gusts of 105km/h. It strengthened into a severe cyclone in the night, when wind speeds reached at 121km/h.

Though not expected to hit the coast, Priscilla is expected to produce dangerous waves and strong currents as it moves north-west along the coast towards a Mexican state. Heavy rainfall is forecast on Monday, reaching 100-150mm in specific Mexican states, with some areas at about 200mm. Other regions could receive 50-100mm.

Elsewhere, a cyclone named Shakhti has formed as the first post-monsoon cyclonic storm of the year in the a body of water, causing an alert from the India Meteorological Department for Maharashtra. On Sunday, Shakhti was 130 miles southeast of a location in Oman with maximum sustained winds of 103km/h.

Shakhti, which has tracked south-westward and weakened, is forecast to turn towards the east into the the sea. Rough seas are likely to continue along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and heavy rainfall is anticipated in shoreline areas including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.