China Raises Red Typhoon Alert as Noul Looms Over Guangdong

Beijing – In a move that has set off a ripple of caution across the region, the National Meteorological Centre (NMC) slapped a red alert on the country’s typhoon warning scale late Saturday night. Red is the highest tier, meaning authorities are bracing for a serious weather event.

The storm in question is Typhoon Noul, the twelfth tropical system of the 2026 season. At the time of the warning, the cyclone’s eye was roughly 100 kilometres offshore, southeast of Huidong County in Huizhou, Guangdong. Winds near the centre were already punching up to Force 14 – the upper‑end of the Beaufort scale – suggesting the storm could get even fiercer before it makes landfall.

According to the NMC’s forecast, Noul is tracking northwest at about 20 km per hour. It is expected to touch down along Guangdong’s coastline before veering north‑north‑west and gradually losing steam, as reported by state‑run Xinhua. The pattern is classic for storms that come ashore on China’s southern fringe.

In response, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has already cranked up its flood‑control readiness. Guangdong’s emergency response level for floods and typhoons has been bumped to Level III, while Jiangxi and Hunan provinces have been placed on a Level IV flood emergency alert.

Nearby Hong Kong hasn’t stayed idle either. The city’s authorities have rolled out emergency measures, cancelling more than 410 flights and 150 high‑speed train services. The Home Affairs Department opened 28 shelters, ready to house anyone caught in the storm’s path.

China’s colour‑coded warning system runs red, orange, yellow and blue – red being the most severe. The regions now under heightened watch include Fujian, Jiangxi, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong and Guangxi, covering a massive swath of eastern, central and southern China.

Residents in the affected zones have been urged to secure loose objects, stock up on essentials and stay tuned to official updates. While the exact damage remains to be seen, the coordinated alerts suggest the government is taking no chances with Noul’s potential fury.