China: Typhoon Yutu approaches Guangdong province November 1

Event

Typhoon Yutu approached the coastal waters of eastern Guangdong province on the afternoon (local time) of Thursday, November 1. As of 20:00 (local time) on Thursday, Yutu was located at about 20.6°N, 116.4°E, with the storm packing maximum sustained winds of 74 km/h (46 mi) and moving northward at 9 km/h (5 mph). Yutu is forecast to weaken in the coming days as it approaches Hong Kong.

However, the combined effects of the northeast monsoon and Yutu is expected to produce high wind gusts along the coast of Guangdong province over the coming days. Accordingly, on Thursday, the Hong Kong Observatory issued a No. 3 public warning signal (scale of 1-10, with 10 as the most serious hurricane signal) as Yutu approaches. Travel disruptions, including flight cancelations and power outages, are to be expected in the region over the coming days. Local authorities have shut down schools and universities until further notice.

Context

Typhoon Yutu was the strongest storm in the western Pacific thus far in 2018 before weakening on its current path toward China. Typhoon Yutu already caused damages in Guam, the Philippines, and the Mariana Islands, including airport closures, flooding, transportation disruptions, and power outage. Tropical cyclones and typhoons are common in the west Pacific from June through November.

Advice

Individuals present in the abovementioned locations are advised to monitor local weather reports, anticipate transportation and power disruptions, reconfirm flights, obey instructions issued by the local authorities (e.g. evacuation orders), and avoid flood-prone areas until the situation stabilizes. Remember that driving or walking through running water can be dangerous - 15 cm (6 in) of running water is enough to knock over an adult.