Typhoon Yagi ravages through Hainan island

Super Typhoon Yagi has ravaged South China's Hainan province, leading to four fatalities and 95 injuries. It has affected more than 526,100 individuals in 19 cities and counties. The economic impact has surpassed the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Rammasun a decade ago, reported by Fan Shaoli, director of the department of emergency management of Hainan province, during a press briefing on the emergency response to Super Typhoon Yagi on Saturday evening.

The total damage to infrastructure in Hainan province is estimated at 728 million yuan. This includes 458 million yuan in losses from 26 national and provincial roads, as well as 103 other roads, amounting to over 400 kilometers in total. Water transport facilities, including passenger terminals and equipment, have suffered around 100 million yuan in damage. Road transport losses are estimated at around 27 million yuan. Civil aviation infrastructure has incurred 112 million yuan in loss with the Haikou Meilan International Airport being significantly impacted, with ongoing projects in the airport facing loss of about 31 million yuan.

In response to the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Yagi, rapid emergency measures have been put into action. A total of 312,600 people have been relocated, with 76,000 individuals urgently resettled and a cumulative total of 140,700 individuals moved to safety, as of 5 pm on Saturday.

In Wenchang city, where the typhoon made landfall, the economic impact of Wenchang is projected to exceed 32.7 billion yuan ($4.6 billion). More than 25,000 houses have been damaged by the impact of Super Typhoon Yagi. Nearly one-third of the roads in the city are blocked by fallen trees, causing significant transportation disruptions. Additionally, 139 10KV power lines have been disrupted, accounting for about 65 percent of the total power lines in the area, Fan said.