Hainan upgrades typhoon alert as Maysak set to be China's first landing typhoon of 2026

HAIKOU -- The 10th typhoon of this year, Maysak, is projected to make landfall in South China's Hainan province on Friday afternoon, according to an 8 am update from the provincial meteorological service.

Upon landfall, it will become the first typhoon to hit China this year, the forecast noted.

The service upgraded its typhoon alert from Level IV to Level III at 6:30 am on Friday, as tropical storm Maysak developed. It is forecast to land between Sanya and Lingshui in the southern part of the Hainan island.

Provincial authorities have imposed comprehensive transport suspensions across the island province. All inter-island train services are suspended on Friday and Saturday. Roll-on/roll-off ferry services across the Qiongzhou Strait were suspended at 2 am on Friday, with this suspension expected to last one to two days, pending real-time weather conditions.

At 5 am on Friday, Maysak's center was positioned 155 km southeast of Lingshui county, packing winds of up to 18 meters per second, and moving northwestward at 10 to 15 km per hour, while gaining strength.

Due to the typhoon's impact, heavy rain was forecast to lash Hainan on Friday and Saturday. Eleven cities and counties will receive accumulated rainfall between 150 and 250 millimeters. Some areas will see extreme downpours exceeding 350 millimeters.

Provincial meteorological authorities have issued safety reminders urging offshore platforms and vessels to take shelter immediately, while calling on local governments to tighten safety management of fishing boats and coastal mountain tourism sites.