Typhoon Noul hits Guangdong, forces 340,000 evacuations

Typhoon Noul made landfall in southern China early on Sunday, July 26, 2026, bringing heavy rain and gale-force winds to Guangdong province and Hong Kong after prompting one of the largest evacuations of the season. The storm made landfall at approximately 3:50 a.m. local time along the coast of Huidong county in Huizhou city, Guangdong, according to China's National Meteorological Center.

Authorities had relocated more than 340,000 people in Guangdong province by Saturday afternoon as the powerful storm approached. In preparation, China issued its highest-level red typhoon alert on Saturday evening. Twelve cities across Guangdong, including Guangzhou, Dongguan, and Shantou, suspended classes, work, and business operations. All train services in the province were canceled for Sunday.

The typhoon brought maximum sustained winds initially forecast between 151 and 173 kilometers per hour near the center. As it moved inland on Sunday, Hong Kong's Observatory reported the storm was weakening but that strong gales continued to affect the region. The observatory had raised its storm alert to Typhoon Signal No. 9, the second-highest level, early Sunday as the storm passed within 80...