Vietnam plans mass evacuation, China’s Sanya shuts as Typhoon Kajiki intensifies
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A damaged wall is seen as Typhoon Wutip approaches in Sanya, on June 13. Since July, record rainfall has lashed China's north and south.
PHOTO: AFP
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HANOI/BEIJING - Vietnam announced plans to evacuate more than half a million people and ordered boats to stay ashore, while the southern Chinese city of Sanya closed businesses and public transport on Aug 24 as the two countries braced themselves for an intensifying Typhoon Kajiki.
The storm is forecast to “brush past” the southern coast of China’s island province of Hainan from evening of Aug 24 before heading for Vietnam, China’s National Meteorological Centre said.
According to Vietnam’s national weather forecast agency, as at 0900 GMT (5pm Singapore time), the storm had gained strength, with winds reaching 166kmh.
China’s weather forecaster said it is likely to strengthen further with wind speeds as high as 180kmh.
State media reported that the authorities in Vietnam plan to evacuate more than 586,000 people from the central provinces of Thanh Hoa, Quang Tri, Hue and Danang, where the typhoon is forecast to make landfall early on Aug 25.
The government said people in the projected path should not go outdoors after 1400 GMT on Aug 24, and soldiers are standing by to help.
Tien Phong newspaper reported that seven coastal provinces in Vietnam banned boats from leaving shore early on Aug 24.
Flag carrier Vietnam Airlines cancelled at least 22 flights to and from central cities on Aug 24 and Aug 25.
Vietjet Aviation said it was cancelling or delaying flights but did not provide details.
China’s Sanya, renowned for seafront resorts and sandy beaches, closed tourist attractions, shuttered businesses and suspended public transport.
‘Worst-case scenarios’
China’s weather agency forecast heavy rainfall and strong wind in Hainan and the nearby Guangdong province and Guangxi region, with areas in Hainan set to receive as much as 320mm of rain from Aug 24 to 25.
Sanya issued a red typhoon alert on the morning of Aug 24 – the highest in China's colour-coded warning system – and raised its emergency response to the most severe level, showed posts on the local government's Wechat account.
City officials convened a meeting on the evening of Aug 23, urging preparation for “worst-case scenarios” and stressing the need for heightened vigilance to ensure no fatalities and minimal injuries, the government said.
All classes and construction are suspended, and shopping centres, restaurants and supermarkets are closed from Aug 24.
Vessels have been ordered to cease operating in Sanya's waters.
Officials said the lifting of restrictions would depend on the storm's impact.
Sanya is one of China's most popular holiday destinations, attracting 34 million tourist visits in 2024, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Since July, record rainfall has lashed China's north and south in what meteorologists described as extreme weather events linked to climate change, testing local government readiness and posing significant risk to lives and the economy.
Natural disasters including flooding and drought caused 52.15 billion yuan (S$9.32 billion) in direct economic loss in July, affecting millions of people and leaving 295 dead or missing, showed data from the Ministry of Emergency Management.
The Vietnamese government likened the strength of Kajiki to that of Yagi, which battered the country less than a year ago, killing about 300 people and causing property damage of US$3.3 billion. REUTERS
