Two tropical cyclones are set to bring strong winds and heavy rainfall to China's eastern coast this week, with the first cyclone expected to make landfall on Sunday, following devastating flash floods in the country's interior over the weekend.
Prapiroon, named after a Thai rain god, is forecast to hit China's southernmost island province of Hainan on Sunday night as a strong tropical storm, marking the first cyclone of the year, according to national forecasters. Originating in the South China Sea, Prapiroon's center was approximately 275 km (170 miles) southeast of Wanning, Hainan, as of 7 a.m. (2300 GMT). The National Meteorological Centre predicts that the maximum wind speed near its center will reach 30 meters per second (110 kph) upon landfall, with torrential rains expected in Hainan and along the coast of Guangdong, China's most populous province.
Later this week, Gaemi, located about 530 km (330 miles) northeast of Manila, the Philippine capital, on Sunday morning, is anticipated to pass by the northern tip of Taiwan before making landfall in China as a typhoon, with wind speeds potentially reaching 50 meters per second (180 kph), according to Chinese forecasters. Taiwan's Central Weather Administration expects Gaemi to be nearest to the island on Wednesday and Thursday, bringing significant rainfall.
Extreme rainfall has affected southern, central, and eastern China during an unusually early flood season this year. Record-breaking rainfall occurred in southern China from April to June, while northern regions experienced drought, threatening crops and parching fields. In the northwestern province of Shaanxi, a highway bridge collapsed on Friday due to heavy rain, resulting in at least 12 deaths, with 31 people and 18 vehicles still unaccounted for. In Sichuan province in the southwest, rescuers had recovered eight bodies and saved four individuals by 8 p.m. on Saturday, after more than 30 went missing in flash floods.
