Tropical storm Tapah hits Southern China, triggers evacuations, school closures

Tropical Storm Tapah swept into southern China on Monday, prompting school closures, travel disruptions, and the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents.

Authorities in Guangdong province—China’s major economic region near Hong Kong—suspended some train and ferry services ahead of the storm, according to state news agency Xinhua. By Sunday afternoon, around 60,000 people had been evacuated, and multiple tourist attractions were shut down, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

Tapah made landfall near Taishan city in Guangdong around 8:50 a.m. local time, with sustained winds at the center reaching speeds of 30 meters per second (about 98 feet per second).

In Hong Kong, the observatory issued a No. 8 storm signal—the third-highest level—on Sunday night. By Monday morning, Tapah was producing maximum sustained winds of around 110 kilometers (68 miles) per hour.

The storm led to the cancellation of about 100 flights in the city, leaving some travelers stranded overnight in airport terminals. Two individuals were reported injured and taken to hospital, while authorities received about 20 reports of fallen trees. Hundreds of residents took shelter in temporary emergency centers, and court proceedings were paused for the day.

In neighboring Macao, minor flooding was reported in some districts, according to Hong Kong-based broadcaster TVB.