Typhoon Saudel Brings Torrential Rain and Flooding to China's Coastal Areas 'Revived' Storm Makes Rare Third Landfall in Fujian

Typhoon Saudel, the 18th typhoon of the year, has made a rare third landfall in China's Fujian province, triggering widespread flooding, the evacuation of over 83,000 people, and a top-level flood emergency response after "reviving" over the South China Sea.

Typhoon Saudel has brought torrential rain and severe flooding to China's southeastern coastal provinces, making a rare third landfall in Fujian on Thursday after "reviving" over the South China Sea. The storm, which had weakened to a tropical depression after its initial landfalls in Zhejiang on August 28, regained strength as it moved over warm waters and struck Fujian's Zhangpu County with maximum sustained winds of 23 meters per second.

Record-Breaking Typhoon Activity

Saudel is the seventh typhoon to hit China this year and the third to strike the city of Yuhuan in Zhejiang in less than two months, a sequence China's Meteorological Administration has described as "extremely rare.” The unusual pattern has been linked to the strong El Niño phenomenon, which has strengthened the Western Pacific subtropical high and steered typhoons along a northwest trajectory toward China's eastern coast. The United Nations has warned that El Niño is expected to intensify further into 2027 and could become the strongest ever recorded.

Impact and Damage

The storm has caused widespread destruction across Fujian and Zhejiang provinces. In Fujian, authorities evacuated more than 83,000 people by Thursday morning, with heavy rain prompting school closures across Fuzhou, Quanzhou, and Ningde. As of 7 a.m., eight sections of major roads were closed, 657 transport services suspended, work halted at 152 construction sites, and over 150 major tourist attractions shut.

In Zhejiang's Wenzhou city, more than 2,500 teachers and students were trapped in a school compound after flash floods hit the area, with authorities using drones to airlift food and drinking water to those stranded. In Fujian's Fuding city, firefighters waded through waist-deep floodwaters to carry elderly residents to safety, while a three-storey brick building collapsed in Jinxi village after raging floodwaters inundated residential buildings.

Forecast and Risks

Heavy to torrential rain is forecast across most of Fujian, eastern and northern Guangdong, southern Jiangxi, southern Hunan, and much of Taiwan. The Ministry of Natural Resources has warned that torrential downpours pose a high risk of secondary disasters such as landslides, as rivers have already crossed warning thresholds and low-lying communities remain vulnerable to further flooding.

Here is the question this storm raises. A "revived" typhoon has made a rare third landfall in China, triggering widespread flooding and the evacuation of tens of thousands, while experts link the unusual pattern to an El Niño that the UN warns could be the strongest ever recorded. When extreme weather events become more frequent and intense, what does it mean for disaster preparedness and resilience in the region?

FAQ:

Q: How many times has Typhoon Saudel made landfall in China?
A: Typhoon Saudel has made three landfalls in China. It first struck Zhejiang province twice on August 28, then made a third landfall in Fujian province on September 3 after regaining strength over the South China Sea.

Q: What is unusual about Typhoon Saudel's path?
A: Saudel's path is highly unusual. After weakening to a tropical depression, it traveled approximately 1,000 kilometers southwest before re-forming into a typhoon over the South China Sea and making a third landfall . It is the seventh typhoon to hit China this year and the third to strike the city of Yuhuan in less than two months, a sequence described as "extremely rare."

Q: How many people have been evacuated due to Typhoon Saudel?
A: More than 83,000 people have been evacuated in Fujian alone, with hundreds of thousands relocated across Zhejiang and nearby provinces since late August.

Q: What areas are expected to be affected by Typhoon Saudel's rains?
A: Heavy to torrential rain is forecast across most of Fujian, eastern and northern Guangdong, southern Jiangxi, southern Hunan, and much of Taiwan.

Q: What is the connection between Typhoon Saudel and El Niño?
A: Experts have linked the unusual typhoon activity to the strong El Niño phenomenon, which has strengthened the Western Pacific subtropical high and steered typhoons along a northwest trajectory toward China's eastern coast.