Typhoon Hongxia Slams Guangdong, Highest Alert Active
Typhoon Hongxia, the 12th named storm of the 2026 Pacific typhoon season, made landfall in southern China early Sunday, prompting Guangdong Province to activate its highest emergency response level and triggering the evacuation of more than 710,000 people. The storm struck in the early hours of Sunday near Pinghai Town in Huidong County, Huizhou City, with maximum sustained winds equivalent to Force 14 on the Beaufort scale, according to Xinhua News.
Unprecedented Preparations
As Hongxia intensified from a typhoon to a strong typhoon on the evening of July 25, China’s National Meteorological Center issued its first Red Typhoon Warning of the year. Shortly afterward, the Guangdong Provincial Flood Control Headquarters elevated its emergency response from Level II to Level I — the highest possible alert under the province’s four-tier system, CCTV reported.
By the time Hongxia reached land, authorities had evacuated over 710,000 residents across Guangdong, China’s most populous province and a major economic hub. The scale of the evacuation reflects the severity of the threat posed by the storm, which is the third typhoon to make landfall in China in 2026, following Typhoons Meisak and Baw earlier in the season.
Widespread Rainfall Threat
Although Hongxia weakened from a strong typhoon to a typhoon by Sunday morning, the danger is far from over. The storm’s northward-moving circulation is expected to bring heavy to torrential rainfall across a wide swath of southern and central China over the coming days, including most of Guangdong, southern Fujian, central-southern Jiangxi, southeastern Hunan, and southern Taiwan.
Localized extreme rainfall of 250 to 500 millimeters is possible in some areas, raising serious concerns about flooding and landslides. By Sunday morning, the National Meteorological Center was maintaining an Orange Typhoon Warning alongside a Red Rainstorm Warning and a Yellow Severe Convective Weather Warning, according to CCTV.
National Response and Recovery Funding
The central government moved quickly to mobilize resources. The National Disaster Prevention and Rescue Committee initiated a Level IV national disaster relief emergency response on Sunday. Simultaneously, the National Development and Reform Commission urgently allocated 100 million yuan (approximately $13.8 million) from central budget investment to support post-disaster recovery efforts, with funds earmarked for repairing damaged roads, water infrastructure, and essential public facilities such as schools and hospitals.
Technological Milestone: Drone Swarm Observation
In a notable scientific first, meteorological researchers deployed drone swarm technology to conduct high-frequency, multi-dimensional observation of the typhoon throughout its entire landfall process. The operation marks the first time such technology has been used for typhoon monitoring in China, potentially providing valuable data for future storm forecasting and early warning systems.
Looking Ahead
As Hongxia’s remnants push inland, the primary concern shifts from wind damage to catastrophic flooding. The combination of already-saturated ground from summer monsoon rains and the typhoon’s heavy precipitation could trigger widespread inundation across several provinces. Local authorities remain on high alert, with rescue teams and relief supplies prepositioned in vulnerable areas.
The economic impact on Guangdong — a manufacturing and export powerhouse — could be significant, though the full extent of damage will not be known until the storm system fully passes and assessments can be conducted. The NDRC’s swift allocation of funds signals that Beijing is prioritizing rapid recovery to minimize disruption to the province’s economy.
For now, millions of residents across southern and central China remain under weather warnings, bracing for what could be several more days of heavy rain and potential flooding as the typhoon’s circulation continues its northward trajectory.