FUZHOU, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Typhoon Saudel, the 18th typhoon of 2026, made its third landfall in east China's Fujian Province on Thursday, with maximum sustained winds of 23 meters per second near its center, according to the provincial meteorological observatory.
Before landing along the coast of Fujian's Zhangpu County at around 6:30 a.m., Saudel made landfall twice along the coast of east China's Zhejiang Province on Aug. 28.
Authorities in Fujian had evacuated more than 83,000 people by 7 a.m. on Thursday as persistent heavy rain battered parts of the province.
Heavy rain prompted the suspension of work, businesses and schools in parts of Zhangzhou City. Schools were also closed in other cities including Fuzhou, Quanzhou and Ningde, the provincial authorities said.
As of 7 a.m., eight sections of major roads had been closed, 657 transport services suspended, work halted at 152 construction sites, and over 150 major tourist attractions shut across Fujian.
The province raised its flood-control emergency response on Wednesday while maintaining a response for the typhoon.
China's National Meteorological Center (NMC) issued a blue alert for the typhoon on Thursday morning.
Saudel is forecast to move westward at 15 to 20 kilometers per hour and gradually weaken, the NMC said.
From Thursday afternoon to Friday afternoon, heavy to torrential rain is forecast across most of Fujian, eastern and northern Guangdong, southern Jiangxi and southern Hunan. ■
