Typhoon "Tapah" Triggers Level-Four Warning in Southern China's Hainan Province

In a preemptive measure against a growing weather threat, the island province of Hainan in southern China has issued a Level-Four typhoon warning as of Sunday morning. This move comes as Typhoon "Tapah," the 16th typhoon of the year, continues to strengthen and track toward the mainland.

According to the Hainan Meteorological Observatory, the typhoon's center was located over the South China Sea on Sunday morning, approximately 445 kilometers southeast of Dianbai District in Guangdong's Maoming City. Near its center, "Tapah" was generating maximum winds of up to 23 meters per second, indicating a powerful and developing storm.

Local meteorological authorities forecast that Typhoon "Tapah" will continue to move northwestward at a speed of 10 to 15 kilometers per hour, gradually increasing in intensity. The storm is expected to approach the coastal areas of central and western Guangdong, with a potential landfall between the cities of Zhuhai and Zhanjiang on Sunday morning or midday as a strong tropical storm or even a typhoon. Following landfall, its strength is expected to weaken gradually.

Several key areas are expected to be directly impacted by the storm. The Qiongzhou Strait and the Beibu Gulf will experience easterly winds of up to a Grade 5 with gusts of Grade 7 to 8 during thunderstorms. Wind speeds in the sea areas east of Hainan Island will gradually increase to a Grade 7 to 9 with gusts up to a Grade 10 or 11. Meanwhile, the sea areas near the Xisha and Zhongsha islands will see strong winds ranging from a Grade 6 to 8 with gusts from a Grade 8 to 10.

China's national emergency response system is categorized into four levels, with Level I being the most severe.