El Typhoon Fengshen, the twenty-fourth of the season in the Pacific Northwest, continues to gain organization over the South China Sea After leaving a trail of damage in the Philippines and putting much of southeastern China and Taiwan on alert, authorities in several countries have activated maritime prevention and restriction measures in anticipation of strong winds, significant waves, and heavy rainfall.
In mainland China, Hainan, Guangdong and adjacent maritime areas have tightened emergency response, while in Vietnam A possible impact on the central coastal strip is being monitored if the system maintains its path. In parallel, Taiwán faces bands of rain and intense gusts, and the provisional balance in the Philippines is at least eight dead and thousands evacuated after the passage of the cyclone.
Trajectory and recent evolution
According to regional meteorological services, Fengshen has passed from strong tropical storm to a system with typhoon characteristics as it moves across open waters. At 5:00 a.m., the center was located about 520 km east of Sansha (Hainan Province), with sustained winds close to 23 m/s and a wind field extending between 220 and 280 km from the center.
Hours later, at 9:00, the cyclone was located approximately 170 km west-northwest of Yongxing Dao (Sansha City, Hainan), with maximum gusts around 33 m/s. In previous phases it was also placed at about 400 km from Yongxing Dao, a sign of its approach and changes in daily kinematics.
The movement has oscillated between a direction northwest 20-25 km/h and a tendency to turn southwest due to interaction with cold air, with scenarios that contemplated intensification severe tropical storm or typhoon (30-35 m/s) before weakening near the coast of Vietnam.
The interaction with a colder air mass is also causing a thermal drop of 4 to 6 ° C in areas of central and eastern China, with occasional drops of up to 8 ° C and the “0 °C line” moving towards the center of the north of the country.
China activates devices and closes ports
In the island province of Hainan, the operations at the ports of Haikou (Xinhai, Xiuying and the southern railway port) were suspended for safety reasons. Resumption will depend on weather conditions, with a tentative date of Thursday if conditions improve. Other scheduled flights have been cancelled. some trains with origin and destination Hainan.
In the neighbor Guangdong, a Level IV emergency response was declared for typhoon prevention. Authorities ordered the return of the entire fishing fleet to port, the evacuation of personnel from marine facilities (aquaculture rafts, marine ranches and offshore wind construction platforms) and the closure of maritime routes and coastal tourist attractionsWind prevention measures were implemented in time slots on both sides of the Pearl River estuary.
According to the China Meteorological Administration, in Guangdong they have returned to shelter 71.037 boats and have been evacuated to land 12.182 workers offshore. Hydrological agencies monitor rainfall, flows and reservoirs with real-time warnings and forecasts in the face of the risk of flash floods, urban flooding and flooding in small and medium-sized rivers, especially with already saturated soils.
China's warning network maintains color-coded levels —red, orange, yellow and blue—; In the case of Fengshen, blue and yellow warnings have been issued in various phases, indicating strong winds and rain for Hainan, Taiwan, the Fujian coast, and adjacent maritime areas.
Rough seas and strong winds in large areas
The storm will cover the south of the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, the Bashi Channel, the waters east of Taiwan, the north and center of the South China Sea and the Beibu GulfFor some of these sectors, winds of up to 28,4 m/s are estimated. gusts of 36,9 m/s In the coming intervals, conditions that will make navigation difficult.
Taiwan: heavy rain and incident in Taichung
Between Monday and Tuesday, the north of Taiwán can record accumulated 100 to 200 mm within 24 hours, with severe gusts on the coast and in highland areas. The system's outer bands will also affect the Taiwan Strait and the Fujian coast, increasing the risk of incidents on hillsides and torrential downpours.
In the city of Taichung, a security camera captured the fall of a large scaffolding dragged by the wind onto the road on October 22; a driver managed to escape unharmed despite the structure engulfing his vehicle, an episode that illustrates the dangerousness of gusts associated with the cyclone.
Philippines: Casualties and Evacuations
Before entering the South China Sea, Fengshen hit northern and central China. Philippines, with a provisional balance of at least 8 deceased and two missing people, in addition to more than 22.000 evacuees from areas vulnerable to flooding and landslides.
Vietnam: Rain and wave warnings issued for the central coast
The National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting of Vietnam The storm's watch was raised, forecasting further strengthening within 24 hours and an approach to the central coast. At 7:00 a.m. on October 22, the center of the system was estimated at 17,1°N, 110,7°E, about 280 km east-northeast of Da Nang, moving westward at close to 10 km/h and winds at levels 10-12 at its core.
According to official scenarios, the cyclone could intensify to levels 10-11 with gusts of 13 as it approaches the Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, and subsequently makes landfall between Hue and Quang Ngai around October 23, weakening to a level 8 and then downgrading to a tropical depression.
Disaster risk alerts were issued 3 level, with the order to evacuate or move away from the dangerous areas to the entire fleet en route and the vessels present in the area, where they are expected waves of 5 to 7 metersBetween the 22nd and 27th, the section from Ha Tinh to Quang Ngai will face widespread rains with high risk of flash flooding and landslides in mountainous areas, and the possibility of exceeding alert level 3 in rivers between Quang Tri and Quang Ngai.
Cold air is already affecting the northeast of the country, with temperatures of 19-21 ° C in Hanoi and below 16°C in mountainous areas. Severe weather such as tornadoes, lightning, hail and strong gusts are expected in much of the territory, with possible impacts on agriculture, transportation and infrastructure.
Transport and services: restrictions to minimize risks
In addition to the port closures in Haikou, authorities have temporarily suspended maritime and coastal tourism services, and limited crossings on routes crossing bays and estuaries. train cancellations linked to Hainan, while the transport and port departments maintain their reinforced emergency response and reopening plans subject to improved weather.
In this context of heavy seas and strong winds, the agencies are asking extreme caution in navigation and coastal activities, prioritizing safe shelters and continuously updating official reports as the system completes its southwestward trajectory and begins to weaken.
Fengshen's advance through the South China Sea is causing temporary closures, wind warnings and episodes of heavy rain since Hainan and Taiwan to the central coast of Vietnam, with a severe prior impact in the Philippines; coordination between meteorological services, maritime authorities and civil protection is being key to reducing damage, with the focus on storm surge, violent gusts and rapid flooding in small basins.