The China Meteorological Administration issued an orange alert, the second highest in its 4-tier system, for Typhoon Wipha today, predicting landfall in Guangdong province on the afternoon or evening of 20/7.

At approximately 5 a.m. today, Typhoon Wipha was located about 190 km from Zhuhai city, packing winds of around 118 km/h, equivalent to a level 12 storm, according to CCTV. The typhoon is expected to continue westward, intensifying and growing in size as it approaches land.

Over 12,000 people have been evacuated from offshore areas, along with 266,000 residents inland. Affected areas have implemented emergency precautions including suspending production and business operations, closing schools, and canceling flights.

Fallen trees litter the streets of Hong Kong on the morning of 20/7 due to Typhoon Wipha. Photo: AP

Fallen trees litter the streets of Hong Kong on the morning of 20/7 due to Typhoon Wipha. Photo: AP

Hong Kong also raised its typhoon warning to level 10, the highest level, for the first time since Super Typhoon Saola in 2023.

The China Meteorological Administration forecasts heavy to very heavy rainfall in many areas, potentially reaching 250-320 mm. Guangzhou Railway Corporation announced the suspension of several routes on 20/7 and 21/7, including the complete shutdown of the Shenzhen-Zhongshan link. The Zhuhai highway port on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge also closed early this morning.

Other cities in Guangdong province, such as Zhuhai and Yangjiang, have also closed schools and halted production, business operations, and transportation starting this morning. Shenzhen closed all parks from 6 p.m. on 19/7 and opened emergency shelters throughout the city.

Vietnam's National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting reported that at 1 p.m., Typhoon Wipha was in the northern part of the South China Sea, approximately 630 km east of Quang Ninh-Hai Phong, moving westward at 20-25 km/h. Maximum sustained winds near the typhoon's center reached level 12, with gusts up to level 15, an increase from this morning.

The typhoon is predicted to continue westward at a rapid pace, crossing China's Leizhou Peninsula. By 1 p.m. on 21/7, it is expected to be in the northern Gulf of Tonkin, weakening slightly to levels 11-12, with gusts up to level 14. By 1 p.m. on 22/7, it is projected to be off the coast of Quang Ninh-Thanh Hoa with winds of levels 10-11 and gusts up to level 14.

The typhoon will continue into the Quang Ninh-Hai Phong sea area at 15 km/h, moving deeper into the northern delta and Thanh Hoa, weakening into a tropical depression and then a low-pressure area by 1 p.m. on 23/7 when it reaches Upper Laos.

Thanh Danh (Global Times, Xinhua)