Typhoon Noul hits southern China, forcing 715,000 to evacuate — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): Typhoon Noul made landfall in southern China early on Sunday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain that forced the evacuation of more than 715,000 people in Guangdong province and disrupted transport across the region. According to the Associated Press, the typhoon came ashore along the coast of Huidong County in Guangdong’s Huizhou city at around 3:50am local time. China’s National Meteorological Center described Noul as the strongest typhoon to make landfall in the country so far this year. The storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometres per hour near its centre, also affected Hong Kong, where about 350 flights were cancelled and at least nine people were injured, authorities said. Parts of a large scaffold on a high-rise building collapsed, but no injuries were immediately reported. Train services across Guangdong were suspended, while heavy rain and strong winds lashed parts of Guangdong and neighbouring Fujian province. State media reported that many trees were uprooted in Huilai County. Taiwan’s weather authorities said Noul also brought rain to southern and eastern parts of the island before moving away. Earlier this month, Typhoon Bavi prompted the evacuation of more than two million people in eastern China, while Typhoon Maysak struck the country’s south in early July.