Typhoon Wutip Forced Evacuation in China: Over 50,000 People Relocated
The tropical island of Hainan in southern China has witnessed a massive evacuation as Typhoon Wutip approached, with over 16,000 residents relocated from hazardous areas, according to the Xinhua news agency. Moreover, more than 40,000 offshore workers were evacuated.
As implied by the images shared by state-run CCTV, the typhoon left a trail of destruction, uprooting trees and causing heavy rain. Workers on oil platforms can be seen leaving ships and flocking to buses at the port. With high-speed rail services suspended in Hainan and schools and tourist attractions closed in Sanya, the island's southernmost tip, all flights at the local airport were also canceled.
Originate back in 2025, Typhoon Wutip marked China's first typhoon of the year. Anticipating landfall on Friday, the typhoon is forecasted to make landfall again between the southern provinces of Guangdong and Guangxi on Saturday, potentially causing wind speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour and heavy rainfall in at least six cities and districts.
Hailing from Hainan, Sanya sustained the brunt of the storm, followed by Haikou and Ledong, which suffered heavy rainfall and strong winds. In response, all schools, construction sites, and tourist attractions in Sanya were shuttered, and Sanya Phoenix International Airport suspended flights.
Guangdong provinces, such as Zhanjiang, Maoming, Yangjiang, and Leizhou, have also experienced transportation disruptions due to the typhoon. Coastal and eastern areas of Guangxi, particularly Beihai, are at risk of heavy rainfall and storms.
With thousands of people evacuated, emergency response teams and rescue vessels have been deployed, and over 49,000 fishing boats returned to port in Guangdong. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters initiated a Level III emergency response in Hainan, Guangdong, and Guangxi and dispatched working teams to aid with flood prevention.
As the storm weakens, areas such as Zhanjiang, Maoming, Yangjiang, and Leizhou in Guangdong continue to face tornado warnings, and heavy to torrential rain is expected in Hainan, western and northern Guangdong, and eastern/coastal Guangxi over the next few days.
Key Takeaways
- Typhoon Wutip made landfall in Guangdong Province on June 14, 2025, and is projected to move northeast, possibly re-landfalling in Guangdong or Guangxi on June 15.
- Hainan, Guangdong, and Guangxi, including major cities like Sanya, Haikou, Zhanjiang, Maoming, Yangjiang, Leizhou, and Beihai, have sustained heavy rain and strong winds.
- Evacuation efforts were undertaken to ensure the safety of tens of thousands of people, and working teams were sent to assist with flood prevention.
In the wake of typhoon Wutip's devastating impact, science and environmental-science experts closely monitor weather patterns to anticipate its potential re-landfall in Guangdong or Guangxi provinces. Despite thousands of people evacuated and the deployment of emergency response teams, regions such as Zhanjiang, Maoming, Yangjiang, Leizhou, Hainan, and Beihai still face tornado warnings and heavy to torrential rain in the upcoming days.
