Guangdong, Fujian upgrade emergency response to Level II as Typhoon Podul expected to make 2nd landfall

The flood control authorities in South China’s Guangdong Province and East China’s Fujian Province have upgraded their emergency typhoon response from Level III to Level II, in anticipation of the arrival of Typhoon Podul, according to the local authorities on Wednesday.

In Guangdong Province, the provincial authorities ordered intensified effort to relocate personnel in hazardous areas, and ensure that all be moved to safety by 6 pm on Wednesday. They also called for fully implementing and refining precautionary measures, and effectively ensure the safety of people’s lives and property, according to the Guangdong authorities.

Typhoon Podul, the 11th of the year, made landfall in China’s Taiwan region around 1 pm on Wednesday, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said. It is forecast to make landfall again along the coastal areas from Xiamen, Fujian to Shantou, Guangdong, during the night of Wednesday to the early morning of Thursday, according to the NMC.

In Chaozhou, Guangdong Province, the city announced Wednesday the suspension of classes for all primary and secondary schools, kindergartens, nurseries, and training institutions due to the typhoon.

Ferry services in parts of Shantou were also suspended on Wednesday due to the typhoon, according to provincial authorities.

It is expected that from Wednesday to August 15, there will be a strong rainfall event in South China and southern Jiangnan. Some small and medium-sized rivers in the heavy rainfall areas may exceed warning levels and experience flooding. The Ministry of Water Resources initiated a Level-IV emergency response for flood control for the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong, South China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and Central China’s Hunan Province, at 11 am on Wednesday, according to CCTV News.