Flight operations resumed at Sanya Phoenix International Airport in south China’s Hainan Province early Saturday after Typhoon Maysak weakened into a tropical storm following its landfall on Hainan Island. The airport officially resumed services at 6:00 a.m. local time, allowing both domestic and international flight schedules to gradually return to normal after weather-related disruptions caused by the storm. The first departing flight, China Southern Airlines Flight CZ6731, took off at 7:18 a.m., marking the resumption of commercial air traffic from one of Hainan’s busiest aviation hubs.
Typhoon Made Landfall Friday Evening
According to the Hainan Provincial Meteorological Bureau, Typhoon Maysak, the 10th named typhoon of the year, made landfall at approximately 6:20 p.m. on Friday in Yelin Township of Lingshui Li Autonomous County. After crossing Hainan Island, the storm moved into the northern Beibu Gulf later the same night, weakening from a typhoon into a tropical storm. Authorities continue to closely monitor the system as it progresses toward southern China and northern Vietnam.
Weather Authorities Maintain Typhoon Alert
Despite the weakening of the storm, the Hainan Provincial Meteorological Bureau maintained a Level-III typhoon warning as of 9:20 a.m. Saturday, citing the continued risk of strong winds and heavy rainfall. At 8:00 a.m., Maysak’s center was located approximately 155 kilometers south-southeast of Dongxing City in China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 23 meters per second near its center.
Storm Expected to Make Second Landfall
Meteorologists forecast that Maysak will continue moving north-northwest at a speed of 10 to 15 kilometers per hour, maintaining its current strength before making a second landfall on Saturday night. The storm is expected to strike coastal areas near the border between China’s Guangxi region and northern Vietnam before turning northward and gradually weakening over land. Authorities have advised residents in affected coastal regions to remain alert for potential heavy rainfall, strong winds, localized flooding, and travel disruptions as the storm continues its path.
