The Wrath of Matmo: A Tale of the 21st Typhoon of 2025
As the sun set on October 5, 2025, the coastal town of Xuwen in China's Guangdong province lay battered by Typhoon Matmo's fury—a stark reminder of nature's power during what should have been a festive holiday week.
The Genesis of a Storm
Typhoon Matmo, the 21st named storm of the 2025 Pacific typhoon season, began as a tropical disturbance near Yap on September 29, 2025. The system quickly organized, and by October 2nd, it had intensified into a tropical storm, earning the name "Matmo"—meaning "heavy rain" in Chamorro, a designation provided by the United States.
The newborn Typhoon Matmo embarked on a west-northwest track, steered by a strong subtropical ridge to its north. Its first encounter with land came on October 3rd, when it made initial landfall in the Dinapigue area of Isabela Province in the Philippines. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), which had assigned the storm the local name "Paolo," reported it had intensified to typhoon strength with winds of 130 km/h before crossing northern Luzon.
Strengthening to a Menacing Peak
After traversing the Philippines, Typhoon Matmo emerged over the warm waters of the South China Sea. Here, it found ideal conditions for intensification: sea surface temperatures above 28°C and low vertical wind shear. The storm's structure tightened, with convective bands wrapping around a developing eye.
By October 5th, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) reported that Typhoon Matmo had peaked as a strong typhoon, with maximum sustained winds estimated at 151 km/h and a central pressure of 955 hPa. Satellite imagery depicted a formidable system with a clear, sharp eye and extensive spiral cloud bands, signaling its potent strength as it bore down on the southern Chinese coast.
A Dual Assault on the Chinese Coast
The powerfully built Typhoon Matmo made its primary landfall around 14:50 China Standard Time on October 5th in Xuwen County, Zhanjiang, part of China's Guangdong Province. It struck with the force of a strong typhoon, bringing maximum sustained winds of 42-45 m/s (14-level winds) and a devastating storm surge.
But Typhoon Matmo was not finished. After crossing the Leizhou Peninsula and the Gulf of Tonkin, the system, though weakened, made a second landfall around 01:10 on October 6th near Fangchenggang in Guangxi. At this point, it had been downgraded to a severe tropical storm, but still packed considerable punch with winds of 28 m/s.
Unleashing Fury: Impacts Across the Philippines and China
The path of Typhoon Matmo was marked by significant disruption, heavy rainfall, and forceful winds that tested the preparedness of the nations in its way.
In the Philippines: As the first country faced by the storm, northern Luzon felt Typhoon Matmo's initial impacts. PAGASA raised Signal No. 4, its highest warning level, for several areas. The storm triggered evacuations of nearly 35,000 people as it brought flooding and landslides. While direct casualty figures from Typhoon Matmo were relatively low, the storm compounded recovery efforts from a previous earthquake, and its economic impact was severe, with preliminary damage estimates reaching a staggering 93.16 billion Philippine pesos (approximately USD 1.63 billion).
In Southern China: The Chinese government responded to the approaching Typhoon Matmo by activating its highest-level red typhoon warning. The storm's impacts were widespread:
- Guangdong and Hainan: These regions bore the brunt of the first landfall. Coastal areas were battered by storm surge, and torrential rains, with some locations receiving over 300 mm of rainfall in 24 hours, led to severe flooding. Authorities in Guangdong and Hainan took the drastic but necessary step of implementing "five-stop" measures—suspending work, classes, market operations, public transport, and public activities in affected zones. This major Typhoon Matmo response effort involved the evacuation of over 348,000 people collectively from Guangdong and Hainan.
- Guangxi and Yunnan: As Typhoon Matmo moved inland, its remnants continued to dump heavy rain, raising concerns of flooding and landslides, particularly in areas where the ground was already saturated from previous rainfall.
- Hong Kong and Macau: While the core of Typhoon Matmo passed at a distance, its broad circulation still brought strong winds and squally showers. Hong Kong Observatory issued the No. 3 Strong Wind Signal, and in Macau, the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau hoisted the No. 8 signal, noting that winds in open areas and on bridges consistently reached force 8 or higher. For Macau, Typhoon Matmo was a record-equaling event—it was the 12th tropical cyclone to affect the region in 2025, tying the record set in 1974 for the most tropical cyclone warnings issued in a single year.
A Cautious Recovery and Lasting Legacy
In the aftermath of Typhoon Matmo, the focus shifted to recovery. The National Development and Reform Commission in China allocated 200 million yuan (about USD 28 million) for disaster relief in Guangdong and Hainan. Communities began the arduous task of clearing debris, restoring power, and assessing the full extent of the damage.
The event underscored the persistent threat that tropical cyclones pose to coastal communities in Southeast Asia, particularly when they intensify rapidly near the coast as Typhoon Matmo did. The storm's impact during the Golden Week holiday also highlighted the complex challenges of managing large-scale evacuations and disruptions during peak travel periods. The passage of Typhoon Matmo serves as a powerful case study in both the destructive power of nature and the critical importance of robust early warning systems and disaster preparedness protocols.