Typhoon Kajiki Forces Sanya to Shut Down

The popular Chinese tourist destination of Sanya has ground to a complete halt as Typhoon Kajiki intensified off the coast, prompting a top-level emergency response. The city, famed for its luxurious resorts and pristine beaches on Hainan island, took the drastic step of closing all tourist attractions, suspending public transport, and shuttering businesses to protect residents and visitors from the approaching storm. The unprecedented shutdown underscores the severe threat posed by the rapidly strengthening cyclone.

Authorities issued a red typhoon alert, the highest warning in China’s color-coded system, and raised the city’s emergency response to its most severe level. The local government convened urgent meetings, stressing the need for heightened vigilance and preparation for worst-case scenarios with the primary goal of ensuring no fatalities and minimal injuries. The directive led to the suspension of all classes, construction work, and vessel operations in Sanya’s waters, effectively sealing off the city.

How are authorities preparing for a major typhoon?

The preparation for Typhoon Kajiki has been extensive and methodical, following a clear protocol for extreme weather events. The comprehensive shutdown includes the closure of shopping malls, restaurants, and supermarkets. The National Meteorological Center provided critical tracking, noting the storm was moving northwest at approximately 20 km/h and was forecast to strengthen further, with peak wind speeds potentially reaching 48 meters per second.

This level of preparation is not taken lightly. The directive to close a major economic and tourism hub like Sanya reflects the serious potential for damage. Officials have stated that the lifting of all restrictions will be entirely dependent on the storm’s impact, indicating a commitment to public safety over economic concerns. The focus is on preventing the significant loss of life and economic damage witnessed in recent months from other extreme weather events across China.

The broader impact of extreme weather

The arrival of Typhoon Kajiki is part of a larger pattern of intense weather testing China’s preparedness. Since July, record rainfall has lashed both northern and southern regions, events meteorologists have linked to climate change. These disasters have resulted in substantial economic losses and tragically high numbers of casualties nationwide.

For Sanya, a city that attracted 34 million tourist visits just last year, the economic impact of this shutdown will be significant. The storm is also forecast to bring heavy rainfall and strong winds to the nearby regions of Guangdong province and Guangxi, with some areas of Hainan expected to receive as much as 400 mm of precipitation, raising the risk of severe flooding. The storm’s path could see it make landfall on Hainan’s southern coast or skirt the island before moving toward Vietnam.

The swift and decisive action to lock down Sanya demonstrates a critical shift towards prioritizing human safety in the face of increasingly powerful and unpredictable weather systems, a stark new reality for coastal communities across the region. For the latest official updates, always refer to the National Meteorological Center.