BEIJING – On Friday, Typhoon Gaemi battered towns along China’s coastal Fujian province with heavy rains and strong winds as it began its trek into the densely populated interior.
The storm has impacted nearly 630,000 people in Fujian, with almost half needing to be relocated, according to Xinhua news agency. Earlier this week, Gaemi claimed dozens of lives as it moved through Taiwan and intensified seasonal rains in the Philippines.
Gaemi’s winds reached up to 100.8 kph (62.6 mph) near its center, slightly decreasing from the 118.8 kph recorded on Thursday night when it landed in Putian, Fujian.
Although downgraded to a tropical storm due to slower wind speeds, Gaemi’s vast cloud bands pose a significant flood risk, especially to rivers in central China already elevated from summer rains.
Before the typhoon’s arrival, the Communist Party’s politburo, led by President Xi Jinping, held a special meeting on flood control, urging cadres across the country to protect lives.
“Efforts must be made to prevent breaches of major rivers and the collapse of large and key medium-sized reservoirs,” Xinhua quoted from the meeting readout.
Due to the typhoon, 72 townships in Fujian recorded accumulated precipitation exceeding 250 mm (9.8 inches), with the highest reaching 512.8 mm, local weather bureaus reported.
Gaemi is expected to reach Jiangxi province, home to China’s largest freshwater lake, Poyang, by late Friday.
Forecasters warned that up to 10 provinces could be affected, including Henan, which has a population of over 100 million in central China. Henan’s meteorological bureau expects Gaemi to start bringing rain on Friday night.
Next week, Gaemi’s impact is expected to reach as far north as Jilin and Liaoning provinces, which are still dealing with overflowing rivers and waterlogged cities from recent powerful summer storms.
Scientists warn that global warming is intensifying tropical storms, making them less frequent but much more severe, according to a report published on Friday.
On Thursday, Gaemi flooded several cities and towns in Taiwan, injuring more than 700 people and killing seven. The storm also sank a freighter off the island’s coast. Rescuers in Taiwan pulled nearly 1,000 people from floodwaters using inflatable boats, the government said.
In the Philippines, Gaemi killed 32 people, prompting the capital Manila to declare a “state of calamity” after widespread flooding. Additionally, a marine tanker carrying industrial fuel sank in rough seas off the Philippines.