Emergency response measures activated as Typhoon Sanba makes landfall

Typhoon Sanba, the 16th typhoon of this year, made landfall in the coastal areas of Dongfang city, Hainan province at around 9:00 am on Thursday.

The Hainan provincial meteorological observatory issued a fourth-level rainstorm warning at 9:20 am. Typhoon Sanba is expected to bring heavy downpours in the next 24 hours in Wanning, Qionghai, Wenchang and other cities and counties in Hainan. They will have 50 to 80 mm of precipitation.

Hainan's flood control, drought and typhoon relief headquarters upgraded its typhoon and flood emergency rating to a third-level response on Wednesday.

Vessels operating in the Beibu Gulf and waters surrounding Hainan Island were reminded to return to ports and take shelter. From Thursday to Friday, relevant departments will take measures to cope with possible urban and rural flooding, farmland waterlogging, mountain floods, small and medium-sized river floods, and geological disasters.

The three ports in Haikou - Xinhai Port, Xiuying Port, and South Railway Port - were temporarily suspended at 4:00 am on Thursday, and the suspension is expected to last until Friday, depending on the wind conditions in the Qiongzhou Strait.

The Sanya municipal bureau of tourism, culture, radio, television and sports issued a notice on Wednesday requiring mountain and water tourism attractions, such as Wuzhizhou Island and Yalong Bay Tropical Paradise Forest Park, to suspend business. Related high-risk entertainment projects are also to suspend operations.