Fujian, China, July 25, 2024 – Typhoon Gaemi has made landfall in mainland China, bringing widespread chaos in its wake after causing extensive damage in Taiwan and the Philippines. Over 150,000 residents in the south-eastern province of Fujian have been evacuated to safer areas as the storm approaches.
The typhoon has already left a trail of destruction, with severe flooding and landslides in Taiwan and the Philippines resulting in at least 21 fatalities. In the Philippines, authorities are urgently working to contain an oil spill after a tanker carrying 1.5 million liters of industrial fuel capsized and sank off the coast. This tanker was one of two ships that sank in the region on Thursday, with the other sinking off Taiwan's south-western coast.
China has activated its highest-tier disaster warning as the typhoon made landfall on Thursday evening local time. President Xi Jinping chaired a meeting with the Communist Party's top leadership to discuss flood control and disaster relief plans, according to state media reports. Train services have been suspended in Fujian, and northern Chinese authorities have issued warnings about potential landslides and flooding due to heavy rains.
The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has stated there is a "high risk" of natural disasters as China experiences a summer of extreme weather, with heavy downpours in the east and south and scorching heatwaves in the north. Typically, heavy rains occur from mid-July to mid-August. Typhoon Gaemi is following a similar path to last year’s Typhoon Doksuri, which caused extensive flooding in northern China, although its route may change.
In Taiwan, a clean-up operation is underway following the typhoon, which was the largest to hit the island in eight years and the first of this year's storm season. Taiwan's meteorological office reported that several areas received over 1,000mm of rainfall between Wednesday night and Thursday lunchtime, with the southern city of Kaohsiung recording 1,350mm of rain. The deluge left large areas of the city under more than a meter of floodwater, resulting in three deaths.
A search and rescue operation is ongoing for six missing Burmese sailors after their Tanzania-flagged cargo ship, Fu Shun, sank off northern Taiwan. Three crew members have been rescued so far, but high winds and rough seas are hindering efforts. Additionally, five other cargo ships have run aground near the island.
In the Philippines, despite avoiding a direct hit from the storm, Typhoon Gaemi intensified the seasonal monsoon rains, causing widespread flooding in Manila. The storm caused the MT Terra Nova, a tanker en route to Iloilo, to sink with 17 crew members on board. The Philippine coast guard has recovered one body, while 16 others were rescued.
A massive operation is underway to manage the oil spill, which could become the worst in the country’s history if not properly contained. The coast guard has detected an oil slick stretching about four kilometers, calling it "enormous." Rear Admiral Armando Balilo warned that the spill would "definitely affect the marine environment." Manila Bay, where the tanker sank, is a busy area with shipping lanes and is surrounded by shopping malls, casino resorts, and fishing communities. Experts have noted that, under normal circumstances, booms would be deployed to contain the spill, but bad weather has delayed these efforts.
As the region grapples with the aftermath of Typhoon Gaemi, the priority remains on rescue and relief operations, with hopes for a swift recovery from the widespread devastation.
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