Typhoon Saola made landfall in Guangdong Province in southern China early Saturday morning, bringing strong winds to areas near Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macau. The storm resulted in at least one death and caused significant damage and flooding in many regions. Hong Kong and the neighboring densely populated Guangdong Province canceled hundreds of flights on Friday and closed down activities, schools, and financial markets as Saola approached.
With winds exceeding 200 kilometers per hour, Saola is one of the strongest storms to threaten the southern province since 1949. Chinese authorities reported that it made landfall in Zhuhai, with wind speeds slowing down to about 160 kilometers per hour. The railway operator announced a gradual resumption of train services in Guangdong starting at 8:30 AM local time (00:30 GMT).
Authorities indicated that despite the storm's weakening, Typhoon Saola continues to impact the region as it moves towards Taiwan's eastern coast. The Hong Kong Airport Authority reported that over 300 people were stranded at the airport following the cancellation of around 460 flights. Major airline Cathay Pacific announced that flights would resume from noon local time (04:00 GMT) after being suspended since Friday evening.
Hong Kong had raised its typhoon warning level to the maximum of ten on Friday night and lowered it to eight by Saturday morning. The city's observatory stated that the warning would remain in effect until 4 PM local time (08:00 GMT) due to ongoing heavy rain and flooding. The Hong Kong government reported that over 500 people sought shelter in government facilities, while more than 50 individuals were hospitalized due to the typhoon.
In Macau, the world's largest gambling hub, the government allowed casinos to resume operations starting Saturday morning after they were closed on Friday night. Local media reported that one person died in Shenzhen after a tree fell on the car he was in. The two main local airlines in Taiwan canceled all scheduled flights for Sunday and advised citizens to stay away from beaches and mountainous areas.
