Super Typhoon Yagi Threatens
A powerful typhoon will hit parts of China and Vietnam later this week, bringing dangerous winds and heavy flooding. Weather experts say Typhoon Yagi will reach Hainan, China, on Friday, causing major damage.
On Thursday evening, Yagi was a super typhoon, similar to a Category 4 hurricane, with winds between 130-156 mph. The storm will bring a mix of rain, wind, and storm surge, creating severe impacts. Southern China, including Hainan Island, will experience a level 4 impact, while northern Vietnam will face a level 2 impact, as Yagi turns into a tropical storm or typhoon by Saturday.
Yagi will keep its strength as it moves westward Thursday night into Friday and will hit the Leizhou Peninsula, north of Hainan, on Friday afternoon or evening. After that, Yagi is expected to reach northern Vietnam as a typhoon on Saturday and will become a tropical rainstorm over Southeast Asia by Sunday night.
Wind speeds could reach up to 180 mph (290 km/h), with some areas facing up to 200 mph (320 km/h). These strong winds could cause serious damage to buildings, power outages, and travel delays. The most powerful winds are expected near where the storm hits the Leizhou Peninsula or Hainan Island.
Yagi may bring up to 16 inches (400 mm) of rain, with some areas getting as much as 30 inches (760 mm) in southern China, Hainan Island, northern Vietnam, and even parts of Laos and Thailand. This could lead to flooding, mudslides, and major travel problems.
Before Yagi became a typhoon, it caused heavy flooding in the Philippines last weekend, where it was known as Enteng. Reuters reported that 13 people died because of the flooding.
Yagi is the fifth typhoon in the 2024 Pacific season, which has seen 11 tropical storms so far. Typhoons usually form between July and October but can happen at any time of the year.
The name Yagi means “goat” and also refers to “Capricornus,” a constellation representing a mythical creature that is half goat and half fish.
Since 1950, eight strong typhoons (Category 3-5) have hit Hainan Island. The last super typhoon was Typhoon Rammasun in 2014, which destroyed 51,000 homes.
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