Overview

• More than 16,500 residents have been moved from construction sites and flood-prone areas on Hainan and over 40,000 maritime workers have been brought ashore
• Guangdong Province raised its emergency response to Level III and deployed 10 rescue vessels, five helicopters and 34 tugboats on 24-hour standby
• Wutip intensified into a severe tropical storm with sustained winds up to 101 km/h and is expected to make landfall later today between Lingshui and Ledong
• Heavy rainfall of 100–300 mm is forecast across Hainan, with the storm’s outer rainbands having already triggered flooding in central Vietnam and submerging homes
• High-speed rail across Hainan will remain halted until Saturday and Sanya airport has canceled all flights as authorities brace for flash floods and strong winds