China’s southern coastal provinces of Fujian and Guangdong are bracing for more torrential rain after Typhoon Saudel caused widespread flooding and severe damage.
In Fujian’s Fuding city, firefighters waded through waist-deep floodwaters to rescue elderly residents, according to social media footage verified by Reuters.
Floodwaters Swamp Communities
In nearby Jinxi village, a tea-growing community surrounded by mountains, floodwaters inundated homes and swept through residential areas. A three-storey brick building also collapsed, according to footage verified by Reuters.
Local authorities have closed schools, suspended public transport and activated emergency flood measures across several coastal areas.
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Saudel made its third landfall in Fujian on Thursday morning after strengthening again over the South China Sea.
Hundreds of Thousands Evacuated
Saudel is the seventh typhoon to hit China this year. It is also the third storm to strike Yuhuan in eastern Zhejiang in less than two months.
China’s Meteorological Administration described the sequence as extremely rare. Experts have linked the unusual pattern to El Niño conditions.
Hundreds of thousands of residents have moved to safer areas across Zhejiang and neighbouring provinces since late August. Fujian alone evacuated more than 83,000 people as Saudel moved inland.
El Niño Raises Extreme Weather Risks
During an El Niño year, the western Pacific subtropical high can become stronger and shift northward. This can steer typhoons towards China’s eastern coastline.
The United Nations warned on Thursday that El Niño could strengthen further into 2027. The UN said the developing conditions could increase the risk of prolonged extreme weather.
Saudel follows Typhoon Narra, which brought heavy rain to Guangxi, Hainan and Guangdong late last month.
Authorities Warn of Landslides
China’s Ministry of Natural Resources has warned of a heightened risk of secondary disasters, including landslides.
Recent rainfall has already pushed several rivers above warning levels and flooded low-lying communities.
Authorities continue to monitor rainfall, river levels and vulnerable areas as further downpours threaten parts of southern China.
