Rai intensifies into super typhoon, Hainan issues multiple early warnings

According to the Central Meteorological Station at 10:00 on the 19^th, this year’s 22^nd typhoon, Rai, still maintains super typhoon level and is, at the time of writing, located to the south of Sansha city (Yongxing Island, Xisha) in Hainan Province. 

It is predicted that Rai will move north / northwest at a speed of 15-20 km/h, gradually approaching the southeast of Hainan Island. It is expected that the typhoon’s intensity will gradually weaken and over the 20^th/21^st it will dissipate in the northern area of the South China Sea.

Click HERE to track typhoon Rai

According to the Hainan Meteorological Station, typhoon Rai is the strongest typhoon to affect the Nansha Islands since 1949. From 19^th to the 20^th it’s expected there will be strong winds and heavy rain in the eastern half of Hainan Island.

Hainan Marine Forecast Station issued a blue (Level 4) storm surge warning at 10:00 on December 19^th: from this morning to tomorrow morning, it is expected that there will be 30-50 cm storm surge in the northern and eastern Hainan Island. The Qinglan and Xiuying tide level stations in the above-mentioned shore sections will reach or approach the local blue warning tide level in the night of 19^th and the morning of 20^th, respectively.

Haikou Transportation and Port and Waterway Administration issued a reminder on December 19^th: affected by Typhoon Rai, Haikou New Seaport, Xiuying Port and Railway South Port are expected to stop operations at 3:00 on the 20th.

All marine projects in Sanya have been closed down.

According to reports, at least 75 people are now known to have died after Rai struck the Philippines on Thursday.

Super Typhoon Rai – with winds of about 195km/h (120mph) – saw 300,000 people evacuated for safety when it hit the country’s south-eastern islands.

Related article: How does a typhoon form?

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