Four tropical cyclones concurrently swirling over the Northwest Pacific and the South China Sea have prompted heightened emergency measures across several coastal provinces in China, as regions brace for sustained heavy rainfall and potential flooding. The four systems—Typhoons Saudel, Narra, Gaenari, and Atsani—are the 18th through 21st named storms in what meteorologists describe as an unusually active season.
The China Meteorological Administration reported that the latest storm, Typhoon Atsani, formed on Monday morning, completing the rare occurrence of four simultaneous typhoons in the region. Typhoon Saudel, which first developed on August 19 over the Northwest Pacific, intensified into a super typhoon by early Sunday and is currently advancing toward China’s eastern coastline. Officials forecast that Saudel could make landfall along either Zhejiang or Fujian provinces between Thursday and Friday.
Typhoon Narra originated over the Beibu Gulf on August 21 and made landfall on Hainan Island late Tuesday after bringing heavy rains to parts of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangdong, and Hainan provinces over the weekend. Rising river levels in Guangxi have resulted in flooding that submerged riverside parks and walkways, prompting central authorities to dispatch a task force to coordinate disaster relief. Rescue operations in Ningming County involved evacuating residents stranded by floodwaters with the use of boats.
Typhoon Gaenari formed on Saturday and moved ashore in Quanzhou, Fujian, at midday Monday. It affected portions of Fujian, Zhejiang, and Taiwan before dissipating later that day over Fujian province.
Experts attribute the surge in typhoon activity to the ongoing El Niño weather pattern, which has created conditions conducive to cyclone formation over the western Pacific. While the simultaneous presence of four typhoons is uncommon, Wang Haiping, chief forecaster at the Central Meteorological Observatory, noted that similar events have occurred previously, citing a comparable instance near the Philippines in November 2024.
The observatory cautioned that typhoon activity in the Northwest Pacific and South China Sea remains elevated, with the potential for one or two additional storms to develop within the next ten days. In response, coastal governments from Hainan to Zhejiang have closed tourist attractions, recalled fishing vessels, and urged residents to stay informed of official forecasts. Authorities have also warned of secondary hazards, including mountain torrents and urban flooding, as the region faces prolonged periods of heavy rainfall induced by the multiple storms.