Typhoon Noul came ashore in southern China in the early morning hours of Sunday, unleashing fierce winds and drenching rainfall across Guangdong province and the neighboring city of Hong Kong, forcing the cancellation of flights at Hong Kong’s international airport.
The storm, whose name translates to the glow of sunrise or sunset in Korean, is the 12th typhoon to form in the Pacific this year and the third to strike China within the past month. Authorities reported on Saturday that more than 340,000 residents of Guangdong province had been moved to safer locations ahead of the storm’s arrival.
Hong Kong’s Observatory reported Sunday that Noul is losing strength as it pushes deeper inland, though strong gale-force winds are still affecting large portions of the city. The Observatory put out an Amber Rainstorm Warning due to the heavy rainfall and urged residents to be on guard for potential flash flooding. Rainfall rates exceeding 30 millimeters — roughly 1.2 inches — per hour have been recorded and are expected to continue.
As the typhoon passed within 80 kilometers, or about 50 miles, of Hong Kong, authorities elevated the storm alert to Typhoon Signal No. 9 early Sunday morning. The alert was later downgraded to Signal No. 8 at 7:10 a.m. local time, which corresponds to 2310 GMT Saturday.
A Typhoon Signal No. 8 designation means most businesses and transportation services remain shut down. The Observatory indicated that designation would remain active through at least midday Sunday.
Airport officials announced that flight operations are expected to begin a gradual resumption after 6:00 p.m. Sunday.
