Typhoon Podul Expected to Cause Disruptions with Second Landfall in Southern China

Typhoon Podul is advancing toward its second landfall along the coastal regions between Guangdong and Fujian provinces, severely affecting transportation, especially train operations. The storm, classified as the 11th typhoon of the year and categorized as a severe weather event, initially struck near Taitung, Taiwan, around 1 pm on Wednesday, producing maximum wind speeds near its center of 151.2 kilometers per hour, as reported by the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

The storm crossed into the Taiwan Strait and was anticipated to hit the coast between Xiamen in Fujian and Shantou in Guangdong from Wednesday evening to early Thursday morning. In preparation for the adverse weather, the China Railway Guangzhou Group has assessed risks and revised transportation timetables on multiple routes. As of Wednesday, high-speed trains connecting Zhejiang and Guangdong have been halted, with services expected to resume once conditions improve, while several trains operating on the Beijing-Guangzhou and Beijing-Kowloon routes were also suspended.

Safety measures included closing the Nan'ao Bridge, an important cross-sea infrastructure in Shantou, at 8 pm on Wednesday after strong winds were reported, causing concern for public safety. In Chaozhou, neighboring Shantou, all educational institutions including schools and day care centers were closed for the day due to the weather threat.

On the maritime front, the local government mandated that all fishing vessels in the waters east of Shanwei return to port by 8 pm Tuesday, with bans on recreational boating enacted in light of the approaching storm. In addition, passenger trains traveling to Shaanxi and Chongqing from Fujian were suspended.

As the storm continues, the railway group has raised the typhoon warning level for several railway lines operating through Fujian from Level IV to Level III. Following its second landfall, Podul is predicted to maintain wind speeds of 90 to 118.8 km/h and will move northwest into the interior regions, affecting provinces such as Guangdong, Hunan, Guizhou, and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, with heavy rainfall likely.

The NMC has indicated that southern Fujian and eastern Guangdong may experience particularly intense rainfall due to the typhoon's unique structure, which has stronger convective activity on its southern side. Lyu Xinyan, a chief forecaster at the NMC, cautioned about the possible compounded impacts of the recent heavy rains, emphasizing the potential for dangerous conditions such as mountain torrents, mudslides, and flooding in urban and rural areas.