What is Typhoon Talim And Its Impact On China And Vietnam?

Typhoon Talim, a powerful cyclone, recently made landfall in China's Guangdong province and posed a significant threat to Vietnam's Gulf of Tonkin. The storm's impact has led to extensive evacuations, transportation disruptions, and flood warnings in the affected regions. Authorities in both countries have been taking precautionary measures to safeguard lives and mitigate potential damages caused by the storm.

What is Typhoon Talim and Its Meaning?

#Talim is close to typhoon strength and will be making landfall over southern China shortly, bringing heavy rain to the region. pic.twitter.com/A2SfXqKe54

— Met Office Storms (@metofficestorms) July 17, 2023

On July 12, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) initiated monitoring of a weak monsoon depression located 298 nautical miles (552 km; 343 mi) east of Manila. The depression was gradually moving toward the northern part of Luzon.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) took notice of a low-pressure area just off the coast of Aurora, Philippines, on July 13. Several hours later, at 12:00 UTC, the JMA officially identified the formation of a tropical depression. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) made a similar announcement and named the system Dodong. The tropical depression made landfall in Dinapigue, Isabela shortly afterward.

Continuing its westward trajectory near the northern edge of mainland Luzon, the system crossed through Cagayan and Ilocos Norte. On July 14 at 09:00 UTC (17:00 PHT), it emerged off the coast of Ilocos Norte. Around 15:00 UTC, the JTWC began issuing advisories for the now-tropical depression and designated it as 04W.

As it moved back into warmer waters away from land, the system encountered a favorable environment for further consolidation. Consequently, it intensified into a tropical storm just before exiting the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and was subsequently named Talim by the JMA.

On July 15, Talim left the PAR while maintaining its strength, as announced in the final bulletin by PAGASA. At 00:00 UTC, the JMA upgraded it to a severe tropical storm category. On July 17, at 22:20 CST, Talim made landfall in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province, China, according to the China Meteorological Administration. At that time, the storm had 2-minute sustained winds of 137 km/h (85 mph).

Impact on China

On Monday night, Typhoon Talim struck the coast of Guangdong province with maximum wind speeds of 136.8 km per hour (85 mph). Storm surges and torrential rains battered the southern coastline, impacting areas from Guangdong to Hainan province. The China Meteorological Administration issued an orange weather alert, indicating a high-level warning, and consequently, around 230,000 people in Guangdong were evacuated to ensure their safety.

Chinese authorities responded promptly by closing dozens of coastal tourist destinations. Additionally, they deployed 11 rescue vessels, five helicopters, 46 salvage ships, and eight emergency rescue teams on standby to provide immediate aid and assistance during the crisis.

As Typhoon Talim moves towards the Beibu Gulf in the South China Sea, the meteorological administration warned of a potential second landfall in the coastal area of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Tuesday morning. Residents in Guangxi were urged to be vigilant and prepare for possible flash floods.

Also Read - List of Cyclones

Impact on Vietnam

In Vietnam, the authorities were not taking any chances with Typhoon Talim's approach. They took the initiative to prepare for the storm by planning the evacuation of approximately 30,000 people in the regions of Quang Ninh and Hai Phong provinces, which were forecasted to bear the brunt of the typhoon's impact.

Vietnam's top disaster response committee issued an online statement indicating that Typhoon Talim might be one of the most significant storms to hit the Gulf of Tonkin in recent years. To ensure the safety of residents and visitors, tourists were advised to leave outlying islands, and airlines rescheduled services to avoid the path of the storm.

Transportation Disruptions:

The typhoon's forceful impact disrupted transportation services in both China and Vietnam. In southern China's Guangdong and Hainan provinces, including the high-speed train route between Guangzhou and Shenzhen, hundreds of trains were suspended. Meanwhile, authorities on Hainan island directed ships in nearby waters to return to port due to the marine forecasting station's warning of waves up to 6 meters (20 feet).

Meilan International Airport and Qionghai Boao Airport on Hainan Island had to cancel all flights, adding to the overall disruption. Zhuhai Jinwan Airport in Guangdong near Macau also reported more than 80 canceled flights.

Scientists have been highlighting the correlation between climate change and the increasing intensity of typhoons like Talim. As the world gets warmer due to climate change, the potential for more powerful storms rises, posing greater risks to vulnerable regions such as Southeast Asia.