Typhoon Noul made landfall on the coast of southern China on the morning of July 26, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to Guangdong Province and neighboring Hong Kong. The severe weather led to flight cancellations at Hong Kong International Airport, reported infohub.kz.
According to Reuters, the storm forced the evacuation of more than 340,000 residents in Guangdong Province. Noul is the 12th tropical cyclone this year and the third to hit China in July.
In Hong Kong, authorities initially raised the storm warning to Signal No. 9 when the typhoon was about 80 kilometers from the city, later downgrading it to Signal No. 8. This level entails the closure of most businesses and significant restrictions on public transport.
According to the Hong Kong Observatory, the typhoon is gradually weakening as it moves inland, but strong winds and heavy rain persist. "More than 30 mm of rainfall was recorded in the last hour, and intense rain is expected to continue," forecasters said, warning residents of the risk of flash floods.
The Hong Kong Airport Authority said flight operations are expected to resume after 6 p.m. local time.
Earlier, the publication reported on wildfires in Europe due to extreme heat. In Spain, around 19,000 people were evacuated from towns near Madrid. The government declared a state of emergency. In southern France, more than 60,000 residents also left their homes to escape the flames.