Tropical Cyclone Matmo Struck Coastal China Bringing Massive Relocations

Typhoon Matmo made landfall on the southern shores of China on the weekend, shortly after passage over the provincial island of Hainan. The intense weather led to the relocation of around 350,000 people, bringing heavy downpours and damaging winds, particularly between Guangdong's Wuchuan and Hainan's Wenchang. Ferry services were halted and flights cancelled at Haikou Meilan airport.

Storm Details

The typhoon, this year's 21st typhoon of 2025, recorded wind speeds of 94mph and poured over 50mm of rainfall in six hours in Chongzou and Qinzhou. Urban areas of the region also received high rainfall totals.

Matmo triggered China's highest-level red alert, with disruptions in Zhanjiang, where commercial activities, transportation systems and roads were shut. In Hong Kong, numerous air services were affected and 30 cancelled.

Forecast and Movement

As Matmo moves inland towards the provincial area in the neighboring country, it is projected to diminish into a tropical depression with 55mph winds but will persist to bring substantial precipitation. Northern Vietnam could experience significant rainfall on the following day, increasing the risk of flooding and mudslides. The system is anticipated to move towards Yunnan province in China, where further heavy rainfall is probable.

Other Storm Systems

Meanwhile, Hurricane Priscilla formed off the Pacific shoreline of Mexico on Saturday night, initially as a storm system. It led to a storm watch for the southwestern areas from Punta San Telmo to Punta Mita on Monday.

In the early hours of Sunday, Priscilla was about 305 miles from Cabo Corrientes with continuous gusts of 105km/h. It strengthened into a severe cyclone in the evening, when wind speeds reached at 121km/h.

Though not expected to hit the coast, Priscilla is expected to produce hazardous swells and strong currents as it tracks northwestward along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Heavy rainfall is predicted on Monday, amounting to a considerable volume in specific Mexican states, with local totals at about 20 centimeters. Other regions could face moderate to heavy rain.

Elsewhere, a cyclone named Shakhti has formed as the initial post-season cyclonic storm of the year in the a body of water, prompting an warning from the national weather agency for an Indian state. On that day, the cyclone was 209 kilometers southeast of a location in Oman with maximum sustained winds of 103km/h.

The storm, which has moved south-westward and weakened, is forecast to recurve eastward into the the sea. Turbulent waters are likely to continue along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and intense rain is expected in coastal districts including specific Indian cities.