Disasters & Incidents
Typhoon Noul weakens inland after lashing southern China
Typhoon Noul brought strong winds and heavy rain to southern China on Sunday after making landfall near Pinghai in Guangdong Province, about 80 kilometres northeast of Hong Kong. State broadcaster CCTV reported that the typhoon's centre crossed land at about 3:50 am, with maximum sustained winds near the eye of 162 kilometres an hour. CCTV said that made Noul the strongest typhoon to strike China so far in 2026.
Before landfall, authorities evacuated more than 340,000 people and suspended work and rail services. Major flight disruption continued on Sunday morning, and at least 350 passenger flights arriving in or leaving Hong Kong had been cancelled, the airport's website showed.
Before strengthening over the South China Sea, Noul clipped the far northern islands of the Philippines. The Philippine government's disaster agency said three people were killed, one person was missing, more than 9,300 people had been evacuated and 235 houses had been damaged.
CCTV footage from southern China showed strong winds, heavy rain, debris on roads and some small structures knocked over. Guangdong authorities raised the province's disaster relief emergency response to the third-highest level and then to the second-highest level in successive updates on Sunday morning.
Hong Kong authorities reported injuries, fallen trees and flooding. The source gave differing figures, saying authorities reported 21 injuries, 300 fallen-tree reports and eight flooding reports, while also saying the Hong Kong government reported more than 100 fallen trees and nine injuries. The Hong Kong Observatory said Noul was moving inland into Guangdong and weakening, but that gales were still affecting many parts of Hong Kong, with occasional storm-force winds on high ground.
CCTV said the storm would move inland and bring strong winds and rain to Jiangxi, Hunan and Hubei provinces. It said extreme rainfall was possible in parts of Guangdong, Hunan and Jiangxi, especially in mountainous areas where flood prevention is complex. Xinhua reported that the flood-control emergency response in those three provinces had been raised to the third-highest level. CCTV said rain linked to the typhoon could last through Tuesday, including in provinces as far north as Henan and Shandong.
China's National Development and Reform Commission allocated 100 million yuan, or $14.8 million, to support Guangdong's post-typhoon recovery, including rebuilding damaged roads and infrastructure.
Update
Philippine disaster officials said three people were killed, one person was missing, more than 9,300 people were evacuated and 235 houses were damaged after the typhoon clipped the northern Philippines.
Guangdong raised its disaster relief emergency response first to the third-highest and then to the second-highest level on Sunday morning.
Hong Kong authorities reported injuries, fallen trees and flooding, though the source gave two different sets of injury and fallen-tree figures.
China's National Development and Reform Commission allocated 100 million yuan, or $14.8 million, for post-typhoon recovery in Guangdong.
Chinese state media forecast strong winds and rain in Jiangxi, Hunan and Hubei, possible extreme rainfall in parts of Guangdong, Hunan and Jiangxi, and precipitation through Tuesday in areas as far north as Henan and Shandong.
Source note: AFP news report published on 26 July 2026 at 10:14:11 UTC.
Update
CCTV said Typhoon Noul was the strongest typhoon to strike China so far in 2026.
The Philippine disaster agency said three people were killed and one was missing due to the typhoon.
The Philippine agency said more than 9,300 people had been evacuated and 235 houses damaged.
Guangdong raised its disaster relief emergency response to the second-highest level on Sunday morning.
At least 350 Hong Kong passenger flights had been cancelled on Sunday.
China's National Development and Reform Commission allocated 100 million yuan to support Guangdong recovery efforts.
CCTV said rain from the typhoon could last through Tuesday and reach provinces as far north as Henan and Shandong.
Source note: AFP news report published on 26 July 2026 at 05:36:33 UTC.
Update
Typhoon Noul made landfall near Pinghai in Guangdong province at about 3:50 am local time, according to CCTV.
CCTV reported maximum sustained winds near the eye of 162 kilometres per hour at landfall and said Noul was China's strongest typhoon so far in 2026.
At least 350 Hong Kong passenger flights had been cancelled on Sunday, according to the airport website.
Hong Kong lowered its storm signal from T9 overnight to T8 in the morning.
The Hong Kong government reported more than 100 fallen-tree reports and nine injuries.
CCTV said Noul would move inland and bring strong winds and rain to Jiangxi, Hunan and Hubei, with precipitation possibly lasting through Tuesday as far north as Henan and Shandong.
Guangdong raised its disaster relief emergency response to its third-highest level on Sunday morning.
Source note: AFP news report published on 26 July 2026 at 02:32:14 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The source gave two different sets of Hong Kong injury and fallen-tree figures: 21 injuries and 300 fallen-tree reports in one passage, and nine injuries and more than 100 fallen-tree reports in another.
The storm's inland impacts and rainfall totals were still forecasts at the time of the report.
Source
AFP news report published on .