China has declared a Level 4 emergency to cope with typhoon and heavy rainfall disasters, after three tropical cyclones simultaneously formed and moved through the South China Sea and the western Pacific Ocean.
The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) reported on Saturday, 22 August 2026, that Typhoon Gaenari — the 20th typhoon of this year — had formed with its center approximately 320 kilometers northeast of Taipei, Taiwan, packing maximum sustained winds of 18 meters per second near its center, and was rapidly moving in a west-northwesterly direction at a speed of 35–40 kilometers per hour.
The formation of Typhoon Gaenari brings the total number of typhoons formed in 2026 to 20 since January, which is higher than the historical statistical average of roughly 13.4 typhoons for the January-to-August period. It has also been found that typhoons have formed consistently every month since the beginning of the year, with numbers exceeding the average in every single month.
At the same time, Typhoon Narra — the 19th typhoon of the year — was churning in the Gulf of Tonkin, approximately 30 kilometers south of Dongxing in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The influence of Typhoon Narra, combined with the southwest monsoon, has caused heavy to very heavy rainfall in Hainan Province, southern Guangxi, and coastal areas of Guangdong Province. The storm is expected to intensify into a severe tropical storm before gradually moving northward and northeastward, then beginning to weaken as it approaches the Leizhou Peninsula.
Meanwhile, Typhoon Saudel — the 18th typhoon of the year — is moving in a west-northwesterly direction and is trending toward rapid intensification due to high sea surface temperatures. Meteorological analysts indicated that Saudel could develop into a "super typhoon" and is expected to move into the South China Sea around Wednesday.
China's National Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, together with the Ministry of Emergency Management, has activated a Level 4 emergency response for flood control and typhoon management in Hainan, Guangxi, and Guangdong provinces, while warning residents and fishing vessels to be vigilant against natural hazards including heavy rain, mudslides, and flash floods across multiple coastal areas.
Source: Global Times
