China evacuates over 100,000 as typhoon hits

Shanghai

TYPHOON In-Fa made landfall in Eastern China on Sunday, causing the evacuation of more than 100,000 people, the cancellation of flights in and out of Shanghai and the halting of business operations, according to state media.

In-Fa landed in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, at 12.30 pm, local time, with a maximum wind force of 38 metres per second, the China Meteorological Administration said.

Local authorities ordered schools, markets and businesses to close, and relocated more than 100,000 people, with forecast rainfall of 10 inches to 14 inches, media reported.

In neighbouring Shanghai, all inbound and outbound flights scheduled on Sunday for the city's two airports, Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao International Airport, were cancelled.

High-speed trains in and out of the city were scheduled to be suspended from 7 pm, and some metro lines have already suspended service, according to railway authorities and the city government.

The tropical storm was expected to make landfall again in Zhejiang province's Jiaxing city and Shanghai's Pudong financial district later in the day, the National Meteorological Center said.

As at 5 pm, the typhoon was still in Zhoushan. Heavy rain was expected in northern Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu and parts of Anhui.

Yangshan Port evacuated hundreds of vessels as the wind force off the coast reached up to 102 km per hour and will continue to strengthen, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing the port's bureau of maritime affairs. All large container ships were evacuated early on Saturday.

The typhoon follows last week's historic flooding in central Henan province where at least 63 people died, according to Xinhua.

The death toll includes 12 people who were killed after subway trains were flooded in the capital Zhengzhou. The city of more than 10 million is reeling from record rainfall, with a year's worth of precipitation in just three days.

Elsewhere, Philippine authorities evacuated thousands of people to safety as heavy rains and flooding caused by the south-west monsoon killed at least one person.

More than 87,000 people were affected by the monsoon rains, which were enhanced by Typhoon In-Fa even after it left the Philippines, according to the national disaster agency. At least 22,000 individuals are in evacuation centres, it said. BLOOMBERG