South China provinces brace as Typhoon Matmo approaches landfall

Authorities across southern China have intensified emergency measures and expanded evacuations as Typhoon Matmo, the 21st typhoon of the year, approaches landfall.

As the typhoon moved closer, Guangdong Province raised its emergency response for strong winds to Level II on Saturday, relocating more than 300 vessels to safe waters.

The Guangxi Maritime Safety Administration also upgraded its typhoon emergency response to Level II on Saturday. Maritime authorities along the coast were instructed to strengthen duty shifts and on-site typhoon prevention efforts, verify that personnel had been evacuated ashore, and organize local vessels to leave port and take shelter.

Hainan has issued a Level III emergency response for strong winds and flooding.

Haikou, the provincial capital, began a gradual, citywide suspension of classes, work, transportation, flights, park services, and business operations on Saturday afternoon, with the measures remaining in effect through Sunday.

All inbound and outbound flights at Haikou Meilan International Airport were cancelled starting at 23:00 on Saturday.

RoPax ferry services across the Qiongzhou Strait were suspended from 16:00 Saturday.

Wenchang City in Hainan Province, one of the locations along the typhoon's projected landfall path, has established 363 temporary shelters for construction workers and nearby residents. Each shelter has been stocked with emergency supplies and equipped with generators to ensure a stable temporary power supply for those taking refuge.

The typhoon, observed at 18 degrees north latitude and 117.7 degrees east longitude at 5:00 on Saturday, is moving northwestward at a speed of 25-30 km per hour, according to China's National Meteorological Center (NMC).

It is anticipated to make landfall along coastal areas ranging from Dianbai in Guangdong Province to Wanning in Hainan Province, both located in south China, around noon on Sunday, the NMC said.

South China provinces brace as Typhoon Matmo approaches landfall

South China provinces brace as Typhoon Matmo approaches landfall

South China provinces brace as Typhoon Matmo approaches landfall

South China provinces brace as Typhoon Matmo approaches landfall

Voting for the election of the eighth-term Legislative Council (LegCo) of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) concluded on Sunday night.

Voting for the election began at 07:30 a.m. local time on Sunday. More than 600 polling stations were opened across Hong Kong, serving approximately 4.13 million registered voters.

Long queues had already formed outside multiple polling stations across Hong Kong before the polls opened. At polling station entrances, staff and volunteers attentively assisted voters with the procedures. Some voters posed for a photo holding a thank-you card given by staff after casting their ballot.

"As a Hong Kong citizen, I think it's my responsibility to vote, and I don't want to give up my rights. That's why I come here to support," a voter said.

"We actually flew in from Thailand. Learning today is a special day to vote, we actually canceled all our appointments and canceled everything, and we flew in with the whole family just to be part of Hong Kong and to vote, and to cast our vote and be part of the community," said another voter.

HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee cast his ballot at around 08:30 a.m. at Raimondi College on Robinson Road. He said that the LegCo election is of great importance to Hong Kong's overall development and future reforms, and it also represents the expectations of Hong Kong society.

A number of voters said they look forward to the new term of the Legislative Council taking greater responsibility in advancing Hong Kong's economy, society, and public welfare.

"I think an area of focus I'd like to see is, one is the economy, and secondly is youth mobility and youth policies. I think youth are the future, and it's very important to get unity within the youth and also give us hope, right? The youth in general -- what can we do to, for us as youth, to partake in civil society and to show our responsibility, but also from the government, like, what kind of policy that can help us do that as well," said a young voter.

"I hope that there will be more fair education in the sense that even people from the poor family, they can actually receive good education in good schools," another voter said.

The new term of LegCo will be composed of 90 members, including 40 elected by the Election Committee, 30 elected by functional constituencies, and 20 elected by geographical constituencies through direct elections.

The eighth-term LegCo of the HKSAR will commence its four-year term on Jan 1, 2026.

Voting for 8th-term HKSAR LegCo election concludes