About 15K evacuated as 'Podul' hits South China

Approximately 15,000 residents living in coastal areas were evacuated as Tropical Storm Podul battered South China, with Fujian, Guangdong, and Guangxi provinces at the center of preparation efforts.

According to a report by Xinhua News Agency, the storm, which made landfall around midnight Thursday, has weakened significantly but continued to bring torrential downpours. Podul was moving northwest at speeds of 30 to 35 kilometers per hour.

Classes, flights, and government work were suspended, and court proceedings were canceled in Hong Kong, including the high-profile case of media mogul Jimmy Lai.

Hong Kong’s highest black rainstorm warning was initially raised but was later downgraded to an amber warning.

Meanwhile, in Taiwan, where Podul first made landfall, the storm left 143 people injured and forced the evacuation of about 8,000 residents.