China's Southern Provinces On Alert As Typhoon Wipha Enters South China Sea
Hainan activated a Level IV emergency response at 9 a.m. Saturday, while Guangdong upgraded its emergency response from Level IV to Level II at 11 a.m.
According to the Hainan Meteorological Service, Typhoon Wipha intensified from a tropical storm to a strong tropical storm in the early hours of Saturday. At 8 a.m., its centre was located in the northeastern part of the South China Sea, at approximately 930 kilometres east of Wenchang City of Hainan.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
14 minutes ago
- The Star
Rapid wildfire prompts mass evacuations in Spanish resort town
MADRID, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Authorities evacuated beaches, hotels, and campsites near the southern Spanish resort of Tarifa on Tuesday afternoon after a fast-moving wildfire broke out amid hot and windy conditions. The fire reportedly started around 3:00 p.m. local time (1300 GMT) in a motorhome at a campsite near Valdevaqueros beach, a place popular with surfers and kite surfers. Fanned by strong winds and dry conditions, the flames quickly spread across the surrounding area. Live footage on Spanish television showed thick plumes of smoke billowing over the coastline as emergency crews worked to clear sunbathers and tourists from beaches in the fire's path. Tarifa Mayor Antonio Santos described the situation as unprecedented. "This is the fastest-spreading fire I've ever seen," Santos said on national channel La Sexta. He indicated that the fire ignited along the N-340 highway, an area densely lined with hotels, and that initial indications suggest the blaze originated in a caravan. At least nine km of the N-340 have been closed due to thick smoke. The fire is currently advancing through pine forests, agricultural fields, and farmland in the area. The blaze near Tarifa is one of several wildfires burning across Spain as the country endures its second major heatwave of the summer, with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius in many regions.


The Star
14 minutes ago
- The Star
Hundreds of structures at risk by wildfire in Central California
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of structures are threatened by a fast-moving wildfire that has scorched over 82,000 acres (about 332 square km) in less than five days in Central California, authorities said Tuesday. The wildfire, dubbed the Gifford Fire, broke out Friday afternoon when four separate ignitions along a California highway merged into a single wildfire currently burning on the Santa Lucia Road in both San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, according to the U.S. Forest Service and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Authorities said that the blaze is threatening more than 870 structures and was only 7 percent contained as of Tuesday morning. The fire has prompted evacuation orders for residents in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. "Due to erratic fire behavior, residents should watch for changing conditions in their area," U.S. Forest Service officials warned in an incident update. As the warming and drying trend in the area is expected to continue from Wednesday through the weekend, firefighters will continue to construct contingency lines on the north and south flanks, authorities added. There are more than 1,900 personnel assigned to the fire, alongside 40 hand crews, 115 engines, 23 dozers and 30 water tenders supported by air tankers and helicopters, according to InciWeb, a U.S. interagency all-risk incident information management system.


The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Latvia declares agricultural emergency amid floods, crop damage
RIGA, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Latvian government on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in the country's agricultural sector, effective until Nov. 5, in response to prolonged rainfall and flooding that have severely disrupted this year's harvest. According to the Agriculture Ministry, extended periods of wet weather since May 2025 have flooded fields across many regions, preventing farm machinery from accessing crops, delaying harvests, and significantly reducing yields. Cereals, a key Latvian agricultural export, have been hit particularly hard, the ministry said. It warned that failure to fulfill supply contracts could damage the sector's international reputation and harm the country's overall export performance. Excessive moisture has led to rotting in cereals, legumes, potatoes, and other crops. In many areas, crops have failed to germinate or been damaged by saturated soil. The ministry noted that many farmers with contractual obligations are now unable to meet them, exposing them to legal and financial risks. The state of emergency allows authorities to implement legal solutions appropriate in force majeure or extraordinary situations. The State Revenue Service will be able to waive penalties for farmers who are unable to pay taxes on time due to crop losses. Financial institutions, including banks, may also offer relief to affected farmers, such as deferred principal payments, interest renegotiation, and rescheduling without penalties.