Tropical Cyclone Matmo Slammed Southern China Bringing Massive Relocations

The powerful storm struck the coast on the southern shores of China on Sunday afternoon, shortly after sweeping across the provincial island of Hainan. The severe weather led to the evacuation of around 350,000 residents, bringing torrential rain and damaging winds, particularly between Guangdong's Wuchuan and Hainan's Wenchang. Boat transport were suspended and air travel disrupted at the airport in Haikou.

Storm Details

Matmo, the 21st typhoon of 2025, recorded wind speeds of 151km/h and dumped over 50mm of rainfall in a short period in Chongzou and Qinzhou. Urban areas of Nanning also received significant rain amounts.

The storm triggered China's top-tier emergency warning, with disruptions in the city, where businesses, transport links and roads were shut. In the special administrative region, numerous air services were impacted and dozens called off.

Forecast and Movement

As the typhoon moves inland towards the provincial area in Vietnam, it is expected to diminish into a tropical depression with 55mph winds but will persist to bring heavy rainfall. Northern Vietnam could face significant rainfall on Monday, increasing the threat of inundation and landslides. The weather pattern is anticipated to move towards Yunnan province in China, where further heavy rainfall is probable.

Global Weather Events

Meanwhile, a hurricane named Priscilla developed off Mexico's Pacific coast on Saturday night, initially as a storm system. It led to a weather alert for the southwestern areas from Punta San Telmo to another location on Monday.

In the early hours of the next day, the hurricane was about 491 kilometers from Cabo Corrientes with continuous gusts of 105km/h. It intensified into a hurricane in the night, when wind speeds reached at 121km/h.

Although unlikely to make landfall, the storm is likely to produce dangerous waves and rip currents as it tracks northwestward along the coast towards a Mexican state. Substantial rain is predicted on Monday, reaching 100-150mm in Michoacán and western Guerrero, with some areas at about 200mm. Colima and western Jalisco could face moderate to heavy rain.

Elsewhere, a cyclone named Shakhti has developed as the first post-monsoon cyclonic storm of the year in the Arabian Sea, causing an alert from the national weather agency for Maharashtra. On Sunday, Shakhti was 130 miles southeast of a location in Oman with maximum sustained winds of 64mph.

The storm, which has moved south-westward and weakened, is forecast to turn eastward into the the sea. Rough seas are likely to continue along the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast and heavy rainfall is expected in coastal districts including Dwarka, Jamnagar and Surat.