Typhoon Matmo Slammed Coastal China Bringing Widespread Evacuations
Typhoon Matmo struck the coast on the southern shores of China on the weekend, following its sweeping across the provincial island of Hainan. The intense weather led to the evacuation of around 350,000 people, bringing torrential rain and destructive gusts, especially between Guangdong's Wuchuan and Wenchang in Hainan. Boat transport were suspended and air travel disrupted at the airport in Haikou.
Typhoon Statistics
The typhoon, this year's 21st typhoon of 2025, had sustained wind speeds of 151km/h and poured more than 50mm of precipitation in six hours in Chongzou and Qinzhou. Urban areas of Nanning also received significant rain amounts.
The storm triggered China's highest-level emergency warning, with disruptions in the city, where businesses, transport links and highways were shut. In the special administrative region, 100 flights were impacted and 30 cancelled.
Forecast and Movement
As Matmo advances inward towards the provincial area in Vietnam, it is projected to weaken into a less intense system with 89km/h winds but will persist to bring heavy rainfall. Vietnam's northern regions could experience 130-150mm on the following day, increasing the threat of inundation and landslides. The weather pattern is expected to move towards Yunnan region in China, where additional intense rain is likely.
Global Weather Events
Meanwhile, a hurricane named Priscilla developed off Mexico's Pacific coast on Saturday night, initially as a tropical storm. It led to a weather alert for south-western regions 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 a Mexican cape with sustained winds of 65mph. It intensified into a severe cyclone in the evening, when sustained winds peaked at 121km/h.
Though not expected to make landfall, the storm is expected to generate dangerous waves and strong currents as it tracks northwestward along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Heavy rainfall is predicted on the coming day, amounting to a considerable volume in specific Mexican states, with local totals at about 200mm. Other regions could receive moderate to heavy rain.
In other parts, a cyclone named Shakhti has formed as the first post-monsoon cyclonic storm of 2025 in the a body of water, prompting an alert from the India Meteorological Department for an Indian state. On that day, Shakhti was 130 miles south-east of Ras al Hadd, Oman with maximum sustained winds of 64mph.
Shakhti, which has moved in a southwestern direction and weakened, is forecast to recurve eastward into the Arabian Sea. Turbulent waters are likely to continue along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and intense rain is anticipated in shoreline areas including specific Indian cities.
