Mapped: Yagi develops into a super typhoon on its way to the Chinese coast

Storm Yagi has strengthened into a super typhoon on its way to China and is possibly the strongest storm to hit the country in nearly a decade.

Schools were closed and flights cancelled after the super typhoon brought strong winds and rain to the Chinese coast, after already leaving a trail of devastation in the Philippines.

Its epicenter was located 400 kilometers southeast of the city of Zhanjiang in Guangdong province on Thursday evening and was moving westward at 10 to 15 kilometers per hour.

Follow the latest updates on Super Typhoon Yagi

The storm will have the greatest impact on Guangdong and Hainan. It is expected to make landfall between Qionghai and Dianbai on Friday.

The severe tropical storm intensified into a super typhoon on Thursday morning, with wind gusts exceeding 257 km/h. This makes it a Category 5 typhoon under various classifications and a “massive typhoon” – its highest storm classification – according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

The storm has already claimed at least 14 lives in the Philippines and caused heavy rains and landslides before moving westward.

Yagi’s impending arrival has raised alarm in southern China, where heavy rains, strong winds and rough seas are expected.

Authorities have suspended train and ship services in Hainan, closed schools across southern China, including Hong Kong and Macau, and are considering issuing the third-highest typhoon warning level in Hong Kong.

At Haikou Airport in Hainan, all flights will be suspended from Thursday evening to Friday midnight, and beaches and tourist attractions will be closed.

Major cities such as Hong Kong, Macau and Guangzhou are preparing for possible flooding and disruption.

Authorities in Hong Kong were preparing to issue a typhoon level 8 alert, the third highest alert level, which will be issued at 6:20 p.m. local time (10:20 a.m. GMT) on Thursday, SCMP reports.

The storm, which is gaining strength as it approaches, is expected to pass 300 kilometers southwest of Hong Kong between Thursday night and Friday morning.

“Yagi is a full-blown storm. Under the influence of its outer circulation, local winds have generally strengthened this morning, with occasional gusts at higher altitudes,” said the Hong Kong Observatory, the city’s weather agency.

Kindergartens and special schools remained closed as Signal No. 3 remained in effect earlier in the day. As the typhoon approaches, winds will continue to increase and conditions in the city will worsen, especially near the mouth of the Pearl River.

As it moves west, Yagi will also bring heavy rainfall and gusty winds to northern Vietnam, Laos and Thailand.

In the Philippines, where the storm is known as “Enteng,” the damage is extensive. Landslides, floods and strong winds have caused great destruction, especially in the northern regions.

In the tourist town of Antipolo, a landslide killed three people, including a pregnant woman, while floodwaters claimed four more lives. The storm has also caused major transport disruptions, with flights cancelled and shipping halted, leaving thousands stranded.

Read more about the storm’s impact on the Philippines here.

Even as the storm reached the sea, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) continued to issue warnings on Tuesday, predicting more heavy rains and possible landslides in the northern and central regions in the coming days. The capital Manila remains on high alert, with classes suspended and government offices closed.