Tropical Cyclone Matmo Struck Southern China Bringing Massive Relocations
Typhoon Matmo made landfall on the southern shores of China on Sunday afternoon, following its passage over the island province of Hainan. The severe weather forced the evacuation of approximately 350,000 residents, delivering torrential rain and destructive gusts, especially between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Hainan's Wenchang. Ferry services were halted and flights cancelled at the airport in Haikou.
Typhoon Statistics
The typhoon, this year's 21st cyclone of 2025, had sustained wind speeds of 94mph and poured over 50mm of rainfall in a short period in Qinzhou and Chongzou. Urban areas of the region also experienced high rainfall totals.
Matmo triggered China's top-tier emergency warning, with disturbances in the city, where businesses, transport links and roads were shut. In Hong Kong, 100 flights were affected and dozens called off.
Future Projections
As the typhoon moves inland towards Cao Bang province in the neighboring country, it is projected to diminish into a tropical depression with 55mph winds but will continue to bring substantial precipitation. Northern Vietnam could face significant rainfall on the following day, raising the threat of inundation and mudslides. The system is anticipated to move towards Yunnan region in China, where further intense rain is probable.
Other Storm Systems
Meanwhile, Hurricane Priscilla formed off the Pacific shoreline of Mexico on Saturday night, initially as a tropical storm. It led to a weather alert for south-western regions from Punta San Telmo to another location on the start of the week.
In the morning of Sunday, Priscilla was about 305 miles from a Mexican cape with sustained winds of 65mph. It strengthened into a severe cyclone in the evening, when wind speeds reached at 121km/h.
Although unlikely to hit the coast, Priscilla is likely to generate dangerous waves and strong currents as it moves north-west along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Substantial rain is predicted on Monday, reaching a considerable volume in Michoacán and western Guerrero, with local totals at about 20 centimeters. Other regions could face moderate to heavy rain.
Elsewhere, Cyclone Shakhti has developed as the first post-monsoon cyclonic storm of the year in the a body of water, prompting an warning from the national weather agency for an Indian state. On that day, Shakhti was 209 kilometers south-east of a location in Oman with maximum sustained winds of 103km/h.
Shakhti, which has moved in a southwestern direction and lost strength, is predicted to turn eastward into the Arabian Sea. Rough seas are likely to persist along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and intense rain is expected in shoreline areas including specific Indian cities.
