Typhoon Matmo Slammed Coastal China Bringing Massive Relocations

The powerful storm struck the coast on the southern shores of China on Sunday afternoon, following its passage over the provincial island of Hainan. The severe weather forced the relocation of around 350,000 residents, bringing heavy downpours and damaging winds, particularly between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Hainan's Wenchang. Boat transport were halted and air travel disrupted at the airport in Haikou.

Storm Details

Matmo, this year's 21st cyclone of 2025, had sustained wind speeds of 94mph and dumped more than 50mm of precipitation in six hours in Chongzou and Qinzhou. The city of Nanning also received significant rain amounts.

Matmo prompted China's top-tier emergency warning, with disruptions in the city, where businesses, transport links and roads were closed. In the special administrative region, 100 flights were impacted and dozens called off.

Forecast and Movement

As Matmo moves inland towards Cao Bang province in Vietnam, it is projected to diminish into a tropical depression with 55mph winds but will persist to bring heavy rainfall. Vietnam's northern regions could face 130-150mm 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.

Other Storm Systems

At the same time, a hurricane named Priscilla developed off Mexico's Pacific coast on the weekend, first as a storm system. It led to a storm watch for the southwestern areas from Punta San Telmo to another location on the start of the week.

In the morning of the next day, the hurricane was about 491 kilometers from Cabo Corrientes with sustained winds of 65mph. It intensified into a severe cyclone in the evening, when sustained winds reached at 121km/h.

Though not expected to hit the coast, Priscilla is expected to produce dangerous waves and strong currents as it tracks north-west along the coast towards a Mexican state. Substantial rain is predicted on Monday, reaching 100-150mm in Michoacán and western Guerrero, with local totals at about 200mm. Colima and western Jalisco could face 50-100mm.

Elsewhere, a cyclone named Shakhti has developed as the first post-monsoon cyclonic storm of the year in the a body of water, prompting an warning from the national weather agency for an Indian state. On Sunday, Shakhti was 209 kilometers south-east of a location in Oman with peak wind speeds of 103km/h.

Shakhti, which has moved south-westward and weakened, is forecast to turn towards the east into the the sea. Turbulent waters are expected to persist along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and intense rain is expected in shoreline areas including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.

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