Typhoon Saudel struck eastern China twice on Friday, August 28, making two landfalls along the Zhejiang coast before weakening over land and shifting the main danger from destructive winds to torrential rainfall, flash flooding and landslides.
Earlier today, Typhoon Saudel made landfall on China's eastern coast. pic.twitter.com/dGI5zyJ6qD
— CIRA (@CIRA_CSU) August 28, 2026
The first landfall occurred near Kanmen in Yuhuan, under the administration of Taizhou, at approximately 08:05 local time. According to the Zhejiang Provincial Meteorological Observatory, Saudel was still at typhoon strength, with maximum sustained winds of 35 m/s, or around 126 km/h (78 mph), and a minimum central pressure of 975 hPa.
🌀#Typhoon #Saudel made landfall along the coast of Yuhuan City, east #China's #Zhejiang Province on Friday, bringing strong winds and towering waves. Take a look⬇️
— CCTV Asia Pacific (@CCTVAsiaPacific) August 28, 2026
Video: Douyin pic.twitter.com/wT9FyPBIjx
Just over an hour later, at around 09:10, Saudel made a second landfall in Wenzhou’s Longwan District. Winds near the center were estimated at 33 m/s, or 119 km/h (74 mph), with central pressure rising slightly to 978 hPa.
By 10:00, the storm had weakened to a severe tropical storm as it moved deeper into southern Zhejiang.
More than 820,000 evacuated in Wenzhou
Authorities carried out extensive preparations ahead of Saudel’s arrival.
More than 820,000 people were ordered to evacuate in Wenzhou, while authorities in Taizhou identified approximately 52,000 people requiring evacuation.
🌀The southern eyewall of #Typhoon_Saudel grazed the northern tip of #Okinawa at Cape Hedo. #CapeHedo #Japan https://t.co/Z5DL6o62hE
— ⚡️🌎 World News 🌐⚡️ (@ferozwala) August 28, 2026
📍Typhoon Saudel made #landfall in #Taizhou, in #China's eastern #Zhejiang province, at 8.05 a.m. (0005 GMT), the national forecaster… pic.twitter.com/thtiTnGiFy
Rail services on several routes across Zhejiang were temporarily suspended, while eight passenger ferry routes were halted around Taizhou. In neighboring Fujian, 57 coastal passenger ferry routes were suspended as maritime authorities moved vessels away from the storm’s path.
Zhejiang had raised its typhoon emergency response to Level I, the highest level, on Thursday evening. Reservoir operators also released around 519 million cubic metres (137 billion US gallons) of water between August 25 and 27 to create additional capacity ahead of the expected rainfall.
By Friday afternoon, the strongest coastal conditions were beginning to ease. Saudel crossed southern Zhejiang through areas including Ruian, Pingyang, Cangnan and Taishun before leaving the province and entering Ningde in Fujian at around 15:50.
The storm spent nearly eight hours over Zhejiang.
Winds top 190 km/h in the mountains
Although Saudel weakened quickly after landfall, its circulation produced intense winds and heavy rainfall across southern Zhejiang.
Local observations showed a maximum gust of 53.5 m/s, approximately 193 km/h (120 mph), at Jiulongshan in Yongjia. Rainfall reached 184 mm (7.2 in) at Jiantou Village in Sanmen between the evening of August 26 and Friday afternoon.
Parts of Wenzhou also received more than 150 mm (5.9 in), while saturated ground has increased concern over delayed landslides even after the typhoon’s center moved away.
Why does the flood threat continue even after landfall?
Saudel approached eastern China along the western side of the subtropical Pacific ridge, which helped steer the cyclone westward toward Zhejiang.
More importantly for the next phase of the storm, Saudel carried a deep reservoir of tropical moisture inland. As that moisture encounters the mountainous terrain of Zhejiang, Fujian and neighboring provinces, air is forced upward, enhancing rainfall through orographic lift.
This means the storm can continue producing dangerous rainfall even while its winds weaken and its circulation becomes less organized.
China’s National Meteorological Center forecast heavy to torrential rainfall across central and southern Zhejiang, central and northern Fujian and parts of Jiangxi through Saturday. Some areas could receive extreme totals of 250–280 mm (9.8–11 in).
Saudel’s remnant moisture is expected to continue spreading westward, with rainfall eventually affecting a much broader corridor of southern and central China.
For communities along the coast, the peak wind threat is now receding. Farther inland, however, the most dangerous phase may increasingly come from water, with flash floods, swollen rivers and rain-triggered landslides remaining possible as Saudel continues to weaken.
