Storm Tapah makes landfall in China: Schools shut, flights disrupted and thousands displaced

Schools were closed, flights canceled, and tens of thousands evacuated in southern China as Tropical Storm Tapah made landfall on Monday (Sept 8).

Authorities in Guangdong province, the economic hub near Hong Kong, suspended some train and ferry services ahead of the storm, according to state media. By Sunday afternoon, about 60,000 people had been evacuated and dozens of tourist sites were shut, CCTV reported.

The storm struck the coastal area of Taishan city around 8:50 am local time, with maximum sustained winds near its center reaching 30 meters per second (98 feet per second), CCTV said.

Hong Kong impact

Hong Kong’s observatory issued its No. 8 storm signal Sunday night, the third-highest alert in the city’s weather warning system. It said Tapah was packing winds of 110 kilometers (68 miles) per hour at 9 am Monday.

Before the signal was lowered in the afternoon, around 100 flights were canceled at the airport, where some passengers slept on chairs waiting for updates.

An HK Express flight from Beijing veered onto the grass during landing, with smoke briefly spotted from its landing gear. No injuries were reported, and police said it was unclear if weather was a factor.

Officials said 12 people were injured and hospitalized. More than 160 reports of fallen trees and three flooding incidents were logged across the city. Hundreds took shelter in temporary centers, and courts suspended hearings.

In nearby Macao, TVB reported minor flooding in some districts.

Moving inland

After battering Guangdong, the storm tracked northwest toward Wuzhou city in Guangxi region, according to CCTV.