Typhoon Zitan Triggers Blue Alert as Guangxi Rivers Surge
China’s Central Meteorological Observatory issued a blue typhoon warning on Sunday morning as Typhoon Zitan (Tropical Storm Narra) churned in the Beibu Gulf, threatening to make landfall along the Guangxi coast. The storm has already pushed 13 rivers and 19 monitoring stations in Guangxi beyond warning levels, prompting authorities to raise the emergency response to Level II.
Storm Position and Forecast
As of 5:00 a.m. on August 23, the 19th typhoon of the 2026 Pacific season was located approximately 165 kilometers west-southwest of Beihai City in Guangxi, with maximum sustained winds of 18 meters per second and a minimum central pressure of 992 hPa, according to the Central Meteorological Observatory.
The storm is expected to circle in the Beibu Gulf before turning northeast-north from the evening of August 23, gradually strengthening to severe tropical storm level with winds of 25-30 meters per second as it approaches the coast between Guangxi and the western side of the Leizhou Peninsula in Guangdong.
Guangxi Flood Situation Worsens
Heavy rainfall has been relentless across Guangxi since August 21, with cumulative precipitation exceeding 617.8 millimeters in Nanping Yao Township, Shangsi County, Fangchenggang. The Guangxi Weather Bureau reported that the maximum one-hour rainfall reached 94.6 millimeters on the night of August 22, with winds gusting to level 8 or higher across 12 townships in seven cities.
The flooding has already affected 13 rivers and 19 monitoring stations in the region, and the situation is expected to deteriorate further as the storm approaches. The Guangxi Meteorological Observatory upgraded its typhoon warning from Level IV to Level III on August 22 and has maintained a rainstorm Level IV warning.
Coordinated Emergency Response
The Ministry of Emergency Management convened a coordination meeting on August 22 with multiple agencies, including the China Meteorological Administration, Ministry of Water Resources, and natural resources authorities, to assess the threat posed by Typhoon Zitan alongside two other active storms. The National Flood Control Headquarters and Ministry of Emergency Management have maintained a Level IV flood and typhoon response for Hainan, Guangxi, and Guangdong, and a Level IV flood response for Jiangsu.
“Typhoon defense is currently the top priority,” officials said at the meeting, noting that Typhoon Zitan’s slow movement in the Beibu Gulf is prolonging wind and rain conditions across southern South China, with cumulative rainfall in Hainan and southern Guangxi expected to reach extreme levels.
Water Resources Ministry Mobilizes
The Ministry of Water Resources activated a Level IV flood defense emergency response for Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan at 10:00 a.m. on August 22, warning that rivers including the Yujiang tributaries in Guangxi, the Nanliu River, and several rivers in Guangdong and Hainan would experience significant water level rises. The Zuojiang River, a tributary of the Yujiang, may exceed warning levels.
According to Xinhua News reports, the ministry has outlined five priority tasks: strengthening monitoring and early warning, focusing on mountain flood disaster defense, ensuring reservoir safety during the flood season, reinforcing flood defenses for small and medium rivers, and scientifically implementing flood control scheduling.
Multiple Typhoons Active Simultaneously
Typhoon Zitan is one of three storms simultaneously active in the region. Typhoon Shadel (the 18th storm) is expected to enter the East China Sea around August 26, while Typhoon Jianlavei (the 20th storm) is weakening and expected to dissipate in the Taiwan Strait by August 24, according to the Central Meteorological Observatory’s warning.
The name “Narra” was provided by the Philippines and refers to a leguminous tree species native to the country. It is the first use of this name, replacing “Molave,” which caused severe damage in the Philippines and Vietnam in 2020, as documented on Wikipedia.
Rainfall and Wind Forecasts
From 8:00 a.m. August 23 to 8:00 a.m. August 24, winds of 6-8 levels with gusts of 8-10 are expected across the Beibu Gulf, most of the South China Sea, the Qiongzhou Strait, and coastal areas of several provinces, with parts of the Beibu Gulf potentially seeing winds of 9-11 levels. Heavy to torrential rain is forecast for southern Guangxi, southwestern Hainan, eastern and northern Guangdong, eastern and southern Fujian, southeastern Zhejiang, and Taiwan, with extremely heavy rainfall of 250-350 millimeters possible in southern Guangxi and southern Taiwan.
The China Meteorological Administration adjusted its rainstorm Level IV emergency response to a combined typhoon and rainstorm Level IV response on August 22, reflecting the dual threat posed by the approaching storm.
What to Watch For
Typhoon Zitan is expected to strengthen further as it approaches the coast, potentially reaching severe tropical storm or typhoon intensity (11-12 levels, 30-35 meters per second) by August 24-25. The Guangxi Weather Bureau has warned of sustained strong winds and heavy rain over the Beibu Gulf, coastal areas, and southern Guangxi for the next three days, with particular concern about flooding in the Zuojiang River basin due to overlapping rainfall from upstream Vietnam.
Authorities are urging residents in affected areas to remain vigilant, secure loose structures, and follow evacuation orders. The slow-moving nature of the storm in the Beibu Gulf means rainfall impacts could persist for several days, compounding the flood risk in a region already saturated by previous typhoon activity this season.