Typhoon Matmo Struck Southern China Bringing Massive Relocations

Typhoon Matmo made landfall on the coastal regions of China on Sunday afternoon, following its passage over the island province of Hainan. The severe weather forced the relocation of around 350,000 residents, delivering heavy downpours and destructive gusts, especially between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Hainan's Wenchang. Ferry services were halted and air travel disrupted at Haikou Meilan airport.

Typhoon Statistics

Matmo, the 21st typhoon of the year, recorded wind speeds of 94mph and poured more than 50mm of precipitation in a short period in Qinzhou and Chongzou. Urban areas of Nanning also experienced high rainfall totals.

Matmo prompted China's highest-level emergency warning, with disturbances in Zhanjiang, where commercial activities, transportation systems and highways were closed. In the special administrative region, numerous air services were impacted and dozens called off.

Forecast and Movement

As the typhoon moves inland towards Cao Bang province in Vietnam, it is projected to diminish into a less intense system with 55mph winds but will persist to bring substantial precipitation. Northern Vietnam could experience significant rainfall on Monday, raising the risk of inundation and landslides. The system is anticipated to move towards Yunnan province in China, where further intense rain is probable.

Global Weather Events

At the same time, a hurricane named Priscilla formed off Mexico's Pacific coast on the weekend, initially as a tropical storm. It led to a storm watch for the southwestern areas from a coastal point to another location on the start of the week.

In the morning of the next day, Priscilla was about 305 miles from Cabo Corrientes with continuous gusts of 65mph. It strengthened into a severe cyclone in the evening, when sustained winds peaked at 121km/h.

Although unlikely to hit the coast, the storm is expected to generate hazardous swells and strong currents as it tracks north-west along the coast towards a Mexican state. Heavy rainfall is predicted on Monday, reaching 100-150mm in Michoacán and western Guerrero, with some areas at about 20 centimeters. Colima and western Jalisco could face moderate to heavy rain.

In other parts, a cyclone named Shakhti has developed as the initial post-season cyclonic storm of 2025 in the a body of water, prompting an warning from the India Meteorological Department for Maharashtra. On that day, Shakhti was 209 kilometers southeast of a location in Oman with maximum sustained winds of 103km/h.

Shakhti, which has moved in a southwestern direction and weakened, is forecast to turn eastward into the Arabian Sea. Rough seas are expected to continue along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and intense rain is anticipated in shoreline areas including specific Indian cities.

Michael Martinez
Michael Martinez

A tech enthusiast and writer with a passion for demystifying complex technologies for everyday users.