Super Typhoon Yagi Slams Southern China, Vietnam and Laos in Path

Super Typhoon Yagi, with sustained winds of 245 km per hour, has impacted southern China, causing school closures and flight cancellations, and is set to strike Vietnam and Laos. The storm has intensified significantly since hitting the Philippines, prompting cautionary shutdowns and disaster preparedness in affected regions.

Powerful gales and heavy rainfall from Super Typhoon Yagi battered southern China on Friday, leading to school closures and flight cancellations as it headed for landfall along Hainan's tropical coast. With sustained winds clocking in at 245 km per hour, Yagi is the second-most powerful tropical cyclone in 2024.

Doubling in strength after devastating northern Philippines, Yagi is projected to hit China's coast from Wenchang, Hainan, to Leizhou, Guangdong, before moving towards Vietnam and Laos. Vietnam's Civil Aviation Authority announced the closure of four northern airports, including Hanoi's Noi Bai International, in response to the storm.

Transport links across southern China were mostly shut down on Friday, affecting flights and businesses, including factories. In Hong Kong, the stock exchange and schools remained closed due to intense rainbands, although some reopening was expected as Yagi moved away. The Chinese government has dispatched task forces to guide flood and typhoon prevention, as high-risk warnings were issued for geological disasters in the region.

(With inputs from agencies.)