Super Typhoon “Gemi” made landfall on the coastal area of Xiuyu District, Putian City, Fujian Province around 7 p.m. on July 25th with maximum sustained winds near the center reaching 12 on the Beaufort scale, making it the strongest typhoon to hit China this year.
Typhoon “Gemi,” the third typhoon of the year, underwent rapid intensification since its formation on July 20th, strengthening into a super typhoon within just four days. At 1 p.m. on the 25th, Typhoon “Gemi” changed its course unexpectedly, making a sudden left turn towards the southwest.
At 7:50 p.m. on July 25th, Typhoon “Gemi” landed on the coastal area of Xiuyu District, Putian City, Fujian Province with maximum sustained winds near the center reaching 12 on the Beaufort scale. This marks the first typhoon to make landfall in Fujian this year and the strongest typhoon to hit China so far this year.
Gao Shan, chief forecaster at the Fujian Meteorological Bureau, stated that among the 326 typhoons that have affected or made landfall in Fujian since 1981, “Gemi” ranks second in terms of its overall wind and rain intensity index.
Typhoon “Gemi” is expected to move in a west-northwest direction at a speed of 10 to 15 kilometers per hour and is projected to pass through Fujian Province into Jiangxi Province, gradually turning towards the north.
Rainfall Forecast: From the night of the 25th to the 27th, heavy to torrential rain is expected in Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, and Anhui, with some areas experiencing severe rainfall. Localized areas along the coast of Zhejiang and Fujian may even face severe rainfall. From the night of the 27th to the 30th, regions in the Huang-Huai area, eastern parts of North China, and northeastern China will also experience heavy rainfall.
Typhoon “Gemi” carries a large amount of water vapor and is expected to move further inland, affecting more than ten provinces (regions, municipalities) including Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Anhui, Hubei, Henan, Shandong, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Liaoning, and Jilin. This may lead to flash floods, geological disasters, floods in small and medium rivers, urban and rural inundation, and other disasters.