Typhoon Matmo made landfall in China’s Guangdong province on Sunday with the fury of a Category 2 hurricane, triggering mass evacuations, flight cancellations, and widespread travel chaos—just as millions were celebrating the tail end of China’s National Day holiday week.
One of the Strongest Storms of the Season
With sustained winds of 104 mph and torrential rains forecast to dump up to 12 inches in some areas, Matmo is among the most powerful typhoons to hit southern China this year. The storm forced more than 151,000 people to evacuate across Guangdong alone, according to state media, while neighboring Guangxi and Hainan provinces braced for secondary impacts.
Holiday Travel Meets Natural Disaster
The timing couldn’t be worse. Matmo struck during China’s annual National Day holiday—a weeklong spree of tourism, shopping, and family reunions that draws tens of millions of travelers. In Hainan, a tropical resort island often dubbed “China’s Hawaii,” authorities canceled around 60 flights and shut down schools and tourist sites.
“We were supposed to spend three days on the beach,” said Li Wei, a tourist from Beijing stranded in Sanya. “Instead, we’re stuck in a hotel watching flood warnings on TV.”
Regional Impact Snapshot
| Region | Key Disruptions | Evacuations |
|---|---|---|
| Guangdong | Expressway closures, ferry suspensions to Hong Kong | 151,000+ |
| Hainan | 60+ flights canceled, schools closed | Not specified |
| Guangxi | Tourist sites shut, visitor evacuations | Tens of thousands |
| Northern Vietnam | Heavy rain and wind expected late Sunday | Pending |
A Region Still Recovering
This is the second major storm to pummel the region in under two weeks. Typhoon Ragasa killed at least 18 people across the Philippines, Taiwan, and southern China in late September. Just days before Matmo’s arrival, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck Luzon in the Philippines—leaving communities there especially vulnerable.
“The infrastructure hasn’t had time to recover,” said Dr. Mei Lin, a disaster resilience expert at Sun Yat-sen University. “Back-to-back extreme weather events are becoming the new normal—and our systems aren’t keeping up.”
[INTERNAL_LINK:Climate Change in Asia] analysts warn that warming ocean temperatures are fueling more intense and frequent typhoons in the Western Pacific, putting densely populated coastal zones like Guangdong at growing risk.
What’s Next?
As Matmo weakens while moving inland toward Guangxi, the biggest threat now is flash flooding and landslides. Chinese meteorologists have issued a red alert—the highest level—for parts of Guangdong and Guangxi through Monday afternoon.
For now, residents are urged to stay indoors, avoid low-lying areas, and monitor official updates. With holiday crowds still dispersing, authorities are racing to prevent a humanitarian crisis on top of a natural one.
Sources
The New York Times: “Typhoon Matmo Makes Landfall in Southern China”
