Typhoon Matmo Hit Coastal China Causing Widespread Evacuations

Typhoon Matmo made landfall on the southern shores of China on the weekend, shortly after sweeping across the island province of Hainan. The intense weather led to the relocation of approximately 350,000 people, bringing heavy downpours and destructive gusts, particularly between Guangdong's Wuchuan and Wenchang in Hainan. Ferry services were suspended and air travel disrupted at the airport in Haikou.

Typhoon Statistics

Matmo, this year's 21st typhoon of 2025, recorded wind speeds of 151km/h and dumped more than 50mm of precipitation in six hours in Qinzhou and Chongzou. The city of Nanning also received significant rain amounts.

The storm triggered China's highest-level emergency warning, with disruptions in Zhanjiang, where commercial activities, transport links and highways were shut. In Hong Kong, 100 flights were affected and 30 cancelled.

Future Projections

As the typhoon advances inward towards Cao Bang province in Vietnam, it is projected to diminish into a less intense system with 89km/h winds but will persist to bring heavy rainfall. Vietnam's northern regions could face significant rainfall on the following day, increasing the threat of inundation and mudslides. The weather pattern is expected to move towards Yunnan province in China, where additional heavy rainfall is likely.

Other Storm Systems

At the same time, a hurricane named Priscilla formed off Mexico's Pacific coast on Saturday night, first as a tropical storm. It led to a storm watch for the southwestern areas from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita on Monday.

In the early hours of Sunday, the hurricane was about 305 miles from Cabo Corrientes with continuous gusts of 105km/h. It intensified into a hurricane in the evening, when sustained winds peaked at 75mph.

Although unlikely 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, reaching a considerable volume in specific Mexican states, with some areas at about 20 centimeters. Colima and western Jalisco could face moderate to heavy rain.

In other parts, Cyclone Shakhti has developed as the first post-monsoon storm system of 2025 in the Arabian Sea, prompting an warning from the national weather agency for Maharashtra. On that day, Shakhti was 130 miles south-east of Ras al Hadd, Oman with peak wind speeds of 103km/h.

The storm, which has tracked south-westward and weakened, is predicted to turn eastward into the Arabian Sea. Turbulent waters are expected to continue along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and heavy rainfall is anticipated in shoreline areas including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.