Tropical Cyclone Matmo Slammed Coastal China Bringing Massive Evacuations
The powerful storm struck the coast on the coastal regions of China on Sunday afternoon, shortly after passage over the provincial island of Hainan. The intense weather led to the relocation of around 350,000 residents, bringing torrential rain and destructive gusts, especially between Guangdong's Wuchuan and Hainan's Wenchang. Ferry services were halted and air travel disrupted at the airport in Haikou.
Storm Details
The typhoon, this year's 21st cyclone of 2025, had sustained wind speeds of 151km/h and poured more than 50mm of rainfall in a short period in Chongzou and Qinzhou. The city of the region also experienced significant rain amounts.
The storm triggered China's highest-level red alert, with disturbances in the city, where commercial activities, transport links and highways were closed. In the special administrative region, 100 flights were impacted and 30 cancelled.
Future Projections
As Matmo advances inward towards Cao Bang province in Vietnam, it is expected to weaken into a less intense system with 55mph winds but will continue to bring substantial precipitation. Northern Vietnam could experience 130-150mm on the following day, raising the threat of flooding and mudslides. The system is anticipated to move towards Yunnan region in China, where further heavy rainfall is likely.
Other Storm Systems
At the same time, a hurricane named Priscilla developed off the Pacific shoreline of Mexico on the weekend, first as a tropical storm. It prompted a weather alert for south-western regions from a coastal point to Punta Mita on the start of the week.
In the morning of Sunday, Priscilla was about 491 kilometers from Cabo Corrientes with continuous gusts of 65mph. It strengthened into a severe cyclone in the night, when sustained winds reached at 121km/h.
Though not expected to make landfall, the storm is expected to generate hazardous swells and strong currents as it moves northwestward along the coast towards Baja California Sur. Heavy rainfall is forecast on Monday, reaching 100-150mm in specific Mexican states, with local totals at about 20 centimeters. Colima and western Jalisco could receive 50-100mm.
In other parts, Cyclone Shakhti has formed as the first post-monsoon storm system of 2025 in the Arabian Sea, prompting an warning from the India Meteorological Department for an Indian state. On that day, Shakhti was 130 miles southeast of a location in Oman with maximum sustained winds of 103km/h.
Shakhti, which has tracked in a southwestern direction and weakened, is forecast to turn eastward into the Arabian Sea. Rough seas are expected to persist along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and intense rain is anticipated in coastal districts including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.
