On September 4, staff at Xinhai Port in Haikou, Hainan, prepared for Typhoon Yagi by setting up sandbags. Getty Images
Typhoon Yagi has swiftly intensified into a super typhoon as it heads toward Hainan, a popular holiday island in China. The storm is predicted to make landfall by the end of the week, bringing severe weather to the region.
Currently, Yagi boasts winds reaching up to 240 kph (150 mph), placing it in the high-end Category 4 range on the Atlantic hurricane scale. It is just a few miles per hour short of reaching Category 5 status. According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), Yagi's strength is expected to grow as it moves through the warm waters of the South China Sea.
A mere 24 hours ago, Yagi was classified as a tropical storm with winds of only 90 kph (60 mph). The rapid intensification of the storm is partly attributed to warmer ocean temperatures, a consequence of human-induced climate change, which has been causing storms to grow stronger more quickly.
The typhoon is projected to hit the southwest part of China, specifically the northern tip of Hainan Island, on Friday evening. Hainan, often referred to as “China’s Hawaii” for its beautiful sandy beaches, excellent surfing, luxury resorts, and duty-free shopping, is not in its peak travel season. Nevertheless, the island has a history of handling severe storms fairly well.
In Hong Kong, windows and doors are being secured as the city prepares for Typhoon Yagi. Getty Images
In preparation for the storm, Hainan's provincial government has already suspended intercity bus services since midnight Thursday. Train and high-speed rail services will also be halted from 6 p.m. local time on Thursday, with all flights departing after 8 p.m. being cancelled until midnight Friday. Several tourist attractions on the island have closed, and authorities are warning of potentially massive and destructive winds.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong is also bracing for Yagi’s impact. The typhoon was moving south of the city on Thursday morning, leading to the cancellation of kindergarten classes and several flights. The local weather observatory has warned that it may issue a higher storm warning later in the day, which would trigger additional travel restrictions. Should this warning remain in effect until Friday, Hong Kong's stock market, one of the largest in Asia, could face a suspension.
Earlier this week, Yagi, known as Enteng in the Philippines, caused heavy rainfall across the country. The torrential rains led to at least 13 fatalities, with some areas in Luzon recording up to 400 millimetres (15.8 inches) of rain.
