BANGKOK, Thailand – Radar data show that Tropical Storm Podul made landfall in southern China on Thursday, battering parts of Guangdong, Hunan, and Jiangxi provinces with rainfall exceeding 70 millimeters per hour.
The storm reached the coast of Fujian Province in southeastern China at 12:30 a.m. local time on Thursday, corresponding to 11:30 p.m. Wednesday in Thailand, and is expected to move northwest at 30–35 kilometers per hour.
Podul weakened from a typhoon to a tropical storm after making landfall in Taiwan on Wednesday, where wind speeds reached up to 191 kilometers per hour. The storm caused one fatality and dozens of injuries.
Meanwhile, Podul passed through Hong Kong, causing heavy rain that disrupted court operations. The trial of Jimmy Lai, media tycoon and pro-democracy activist, was postponed following a “black” level storm warning, the highest alert in the city. Supporters continued to wait outside the courthouse under umbrellas.
Several schools were ordered to close, and some hospital services were affected. According to Flightmaster data, roughly 20% of flights in the region were canceled due to the storm’s heavy rains impacting Guangdong, Hunan, and Jiangxi provinces, but operations are gradually resuming as conditions improve.
Authorities confirm that the storm will not affect Thailand, but travelers and residents in affected areas of China and Hong Kong are advised to take precautions. (TNA)
