Tropical Cyclone Matmo Slammed Coastal China Causing Widespread Relocations

Typhoon Matmo made landfall on the southern shores of China on Sunday afternoon, shortly after sweeping across the provincial island of Hainan. The intense weather led to the evacuation of approximately 350,000 residents, bringing torrential rain and damaging winds, particularly between Wuchuan in Guangdong and Wenchang in Hainan. Boat transport were suspended and flights cancelled at the airport in Haikou.

Storm Details

Matmo, this year's 21st typhoon of the year, recorded wind speeds of 94mph and dumped over 50mm of precipitation in a short period in Chongzou and Qinzhou. Urban areas of the region also received high rainfall totals.

Matmo prompted China's top-tier emergency warning, with disturbances in Zhanjiang, where commercial activities, transport links and roads were shut. In the special administrative region, 100 flights were affected and dozens called off.

Forecast and Movement

As Matmo moves inland towards Cao Bang province in the neighboring country, it is projected to diminish into a less intense system with 89km/h winds but will persist to bring substantial precipitation. Vietnam's northern regions could face significant rainfall on the following day, increasing the risk of flooding and landslides. The weather pattern is expected to move towards Yunnan region in China, where further heavy rainfall is probable.

Global Weather Events

Meanwhile, a hurricane named Priscilla developed off Mexico's Pacific coast on Saturday night, first as a tropical storm. It prompted a storm watch for south-western regions from a coastal point to another location on Monday.

In the morning of the next day, Priscilla was about 305 miles from a Mexican cape with continuous gusts of 65mph. It intensified into a hurricane in the night, when sustained winds reached at 121km/h.

Though not expected to hit the coast, the storm is expected to generate hazardous swells and rip currents as it moves northwestward along the coast towards a Mexican state. Heavy rainfall is predicted on the coming day, reaching 100-150mm in specific Mexican states, with some areas at about 200mm. Other regions could face moderate to heavy rain.

In other parts, a cyclone named Shakhti has formed as the first post-monsoon cyclonic storm of 2025 in the Arabian Sea, causing an alert from the India Meteorological Department for an Indian state. On Sunday, the cyclone was 130 miles southeast of a location in Oman with maximum sustained winds of 103km/h.

Shakhti, which has tracked south-westward and lost strength, is forecast to recurve towards the east into the the sea. Rough seas are likely to continue along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and heavy rainfall is expected in coastal districts including specific Indian cities.