Typhoon Noul, the strongest to hit China this year, made landfall in Guangdong, killing 10 in a Gansu flash flood and forcing 715,000 evacuations. Over 700 flights were cancelled. The government allocated $14.7 million for recovery.
A flash flood swept through a tourist area in Weiyuan County, Gansu province, on Sunday afternoon, killing 10 people and injuring 23 others, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported. The flood was triggered by a sudden cloudburst. Rescue teams deployed 305 personnel and 68 vehicles to search the area.
Separately, Typhoon Noul made landfall in Huidong County, Guangdong, early Sunday. With maximum sustained winds of 45 meters per second, it was the strongest typhoon to hit China this year and the first to strike Guangdong in 2026, surpassing Typhoons Maysak and Bavi, state broadcaster CCTV said. The storm weakened into a severe tropical storm after moving inland but continued to bring heavy rain across southern China.
Authorities evacuated 715,351 people across Guangdong ahead of the storm. The National Commission for Disaster Prevention, Reduction and Relief activated a Level-IV national disaster relief emergency response, the lowest in China's four-tier system. Emergency teams assessed damage and relocated residents.
Typhoon Noul disrupted travel across the region. More than 700 flights were cancelled at Guangzhou and Shenzhen airports. High-speed rail services across Guangdong were suspended on Sunday. In Hong Kong, authorities cancelled more than 410 flights and 150 high-speed train services. The Home Affairs Department opened 28 temporary shelters.
China's National Meteorological Centre issued its first red typhoon alert of the year on Saturday, later downgrading it to orange and then yellow on Sunday after landfall. Emergency measures remained in force across Fujian, Jiangxi, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong and Guangxi.
The National Development and Reform Commission allocated 100 million yuan, or about $14.7 million, from the central budget to restore roads, water conservancy projects, schools and hospitals. Authorities said heavy rainfall and flood risks would persist even as Noul weakened, with rescue operations continuing.
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