Hundreds of thousands could be evacuated as ‘giant’ typhoon set to hit southeastern China this week
Typhoon Talim could be as powerful as Hurricane Irma that struck Florida last week, expert says
Authorities in southeastern China will begin evacuating up to half a million people from their homes on Tuesday as the region braces for a “giant” typhoon that is expected to make landfall later in the week.
Typhoon Talim was forecast to strike several cities along central and northern sections of the Fujian coastline, including Fuzhou and Ningde, Liu Aiming, chief engineer at the province’s meteorological bureau, said.
Evacuation notices could be issued to as many as 400,000 or 500,000 people, though the exact figure was subject to change as the situation was still evolving, Liu said.
Most of the people affected live either in properties that might not be able to withstand the high winds, in areas that are prone to flooding or mudslides, or are close to construction sites where they could be hit by flying debris, she said, adding that school buildings and sports stadiums will be used as temporary shelters.
Talim formed east of the Philippines on Saturday and was on course to hit both Fujian and Taiwan, Liu said. It had been steadily gathering strength and by the time it made landfall would most likely have grown into a super typhoon, the highest level in China’s rating system and comparable to a category 4 or 5 hurricane in the United States, she said.
“Talim is a giant. It will dwarf any of the others [typhoons] we’ve seen this year,” she said.