China issues severe alert for Typhoon Matmo, the 21st major storm to hit the country this year

A woman wades through a flooded street following rain, intensified by Severe Tropical Storm Matmo, in Santa Lucia, Calumpit, Bulacan province, Philippines, October 3, 2025. The typhoon is now heading towards China. -- Photo: REUTERS/Noel Celis

BEIJING (Xinhua): China's national observatory on Saturday issued an orange alert, the second-highest in its four-tier system, for Typhoon Matmo, the 21st typhoon of the year, as it strengthens and heads toward the country's southern coast.

The typhoon, observed at 18 degrees north latitude and 117.7 degrees east longitude at 5am on Saturday, is moving northwestward at a speed of 25-30 km per hour, according to the National Meteorological Center (NMC).