Super Typhoon Yagi Shuts Down Southern China: Schools, Flights, and Businesses Affected

Super Typhoon Yagi, the world's second-most powerful tropical cyclone in 2024, has caused massive disruptions in southern China. Schools and businesses have shut down, flights are cancelled, and transport links are closed as the storm heads towards landfall in Hainan province. Yagi has already doubled in strength after devastating the northern Philippines.

Super Typhoon Yagi, the world's second-most powerful tropical cyclone in 2024, wreaked havoc on southern China on Friday, leading to school closures for a second day and flight cancellations. As Asia's strongest storm this year, Yagi approached Hainan province with maximum sustained winds of 245 km/h (152 mph), registering as the year's most severe Pacific basin storm.

Having more than doubled in strength after killing 16 people in the northern Philippines, Yagi was about 100 kilometres offshore by midday, with landfall expected in Hainan and Guangdong provinces by Friday afternoon. Vietnam's Civil Aviation Authority announced the closure of four northern airports on Saturday due to the storm, accompanied by powerful thunder and lightning.

Business and transport disruptions sprawled across the region, with flights cancelled and transport links shuttered in locations including Hainan, Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau. The Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai bridge, the world's longest sea crossing, was also closed. As the storm's intensity is expected to diminish, Hong Kong eased its typhoon warning, though heavy rains are still forecasted. Formed over the Philippines' warm seas, Yagi is set to follow a similar track as Typhoon Rammasun in 2014, which inflicted severe damage.

(With inputs from agencies.)