Typhoon Noul made landfall in China early Sunday morning, state media reported, lashing part of the southern coast with strong winds and rain in the strongest storm to hit the country this year.
Severe weather forecasts for Noul had prompted authorities to evacuate more than 340,000 people and suspend work and rail services, with major flight disruptions continuing throughout Sunday morning.
The typhoon’s center made landfall around 3:50 a.m. (1950 GMT) near Pinghai City, Guangdong Province – about 80 kilometers northeast of financial center Hong Kong – state broadcaster CCTV reported.
Maximum sustained winds near the eye of the storm at the time of landfall were 162 kilometers (101 miles) per hour, the report said.
This made Noul the strongest typhoon to hit the country so far in 2026, CCTV added.
Howling winds and heavy rain were seen in footage released by CCTV on Sunday, with roads strewn with debris and several small structures including a basketball net toppled by the debris.
Nine injured in Hong Kong
At least 350 passenger flights departing and arriving from Hong Kong were canceled on Sunday, the airport’s website showed.
Hong Kong had issued the second-highest storm signal, T9, overnight, but it was replaced by the T8 signal in the morning.
“Noule is moving steadily over Guangdong and progressively weakening, but storms are still affecting many places over Hong Kong, with occasional gale-force winds over higher ground,” the Hong Kong Observatory said.
The Hong Kong government said it received more than 100 reports of fallen trees and nine people were injured.
“After landfall, Noul will move inland, bringing strong winds and rain to Jiangxi, Hunan and Hubei provinces,” CCTV said.
The report noted that rainfall caused by the typhoon could last until Tuesday, affecting provinces as far north as Henan and Shandong.
Authorities in Guangdong raised the province’s emergency response for disaster relief to the third highest level on Sunday morning.
