On the morning of July 24th 2024, Typhoon “Gemi” strengthened from a severe typhoon level to a super typhoon level. It is expected to make landfall on the central and northern coast of Fujian Province as a typhoon or strong typhoon on the 25th, bringing widespread heavy rain that will impact over 10 provinces.
Typhoon “Gemi,” also known as “Kemi” in Taiwan, is on its way to land in China. At 10 o’clock in the morning on July 24th, the China Meteorological Administration upgraded the typhoon warning to red, marking the first super typhoon of the year as Typhoon “Gemi” intensified from a severe typhoon to a super typhoon at 8 o’clock in the morning.
According to information from China Weather Network, “Gemi” is expected to move northwest at a speed of 10 to 15 kilometers per hour. On the night of the 24th, it is expected to make landfall on the coasts of Hualien to Keelung in Taiwan (at a severe or super typhoon level). On the 25th, from the afternoon to late night, it will make landfall on the coasts of Lianjiang to Xiuyu in Fujian Province (at a typhoon or strong typhoon level) before moving further north inland.
As of 3:00 PM on the 24th, the maximum wind force near the center of Typhoon “Gemi” could reach level 17 (about 209 kilometers per hour), closing in on Fujian.
Meteorological analysts from China Weather Network stated that “Gemi” is the first super typhoon of the year and could potentially affect over 10 provinces. Starting today, “Gemi” will not only bring gales and heavy rains to the southeast coast but will also move further inland, potentially causing extreme rainfall in northern and northeastern regions.
The projected path of Typhoon “Gemi” after landfall is very similar to that of Typhoon “Dusui” in 2023. The remnants of Typhoon “Dusui” penetrated northward after landfall, resulting in extreme rainfall in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
The main expected impact periods are as follows: Fujian and Zhejiang on the 25th-26th; Jiangxi and Anhui on the 26th-27th; Henan and Shandong on the 27th; Hebei, Beijing, and Tianjin on the 27th-28th; Liaoning and Jilin on the 28th-29th.
According to the “China Water Resources” WeChat public account, due to the influence of Typhoon “Gemi,” from July 24th to 26th, there will be heavy to torrential rain in central and southern parts of Fujian and Zhejiang, with some areas experiencing extreme rain. Significant rises in water levels are expected in rivers such as the Minjiang River in Fujian and Qiantang River in Zhejiang, potentially leading to flooding. Coastal tide stations may exceed alert levels, and there is an increased risk of flash flooding in mountainous areas.
Currently, the water resources departments of Zhejiang and Fujian have respectively initiated Level III and Level II emergency responses to flood prevention. The Taihu Basin Management Bureau of the Ministry of Water Resources has also initiated a Level III emergency response to flood prevention.
In addition, temporary measures such as work stoppages, production halts, school closures, and market closures have been implemented in Fujian, Guangzhou, and other regions, along with the closure of tourist attractions and suspension of train services.
At 1:00 PM on the 24th, the Fujian Maritime Bureau activated a Level I typhoon emergency response. As of 3:00 PM on the 23rd, 67 passenger ferry routes along the Fujian coast and 186 passenger ferries were suspended, including the complete halting of four cross-strait “small three links” passenger routes. 92 maritime construction projects have been halted.
Railway lines in the eastern part of Guangdong Province will also be affected. The Guangzhou Railway Group will suspend operations of certain trains passing through the Hangshen High-Speed Railway, Meishan High-Speed Railway, Zhanglong, Shelong Railway on July 25th.