Staff members remove lane dividers pushed over by strong gusts in a street in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, on Oct. 5, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

Typhoon Matmo, the 21st named storm of the 2025 Pacific typhoon season, is intensifying as it nears south China's coastal areas, leading to large-scale evacuations.

All coastal passenger ferry routes have been suspended in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Approximately 26,000 tourists on its Weizhou Island were evacuated, with no one stranded. Coastal projects and ports have halted operations, and 4,024 personnel from ships and oil platforms have been relocated.

The Guangxi maritime authority activated the top-level emergency response on Sunday morning, guiding 168 vessels to safe waters and securing 889 ships in port.

The island province of Hainan has relocated over 197,000 people from high-risk areas as of Sunday noon, with a typhoon red alert remaining in effect.

Guangdong Province has raised its typhoon emergency response to the highest level as Typhoon Matmo intensified, with cumulative evacuations exceeding 150,000 people to ensure safety.

The typhoon has strengthened to severe with winds up to 45 meters per second. Emergency teams have been deployed to restore power and communication in those areas.

According to meteorological authorities, Matmo is moving west-northwest and is expected to make landfall in Guangdong before weakening and entering the Beibu Gulf by evening. Storms and heavy rainfall are forecast.