On Monday, September 16, tens of millions of residents in Shanghai and China's densely populated east coast sought refuge indoors as Typhoon Bebinca, the strongest storm to strike the city in over 70 years, made landfall. The storm, with wind speeds coming to 151 km/h close its center, hit Shanghai around 7:30 a.m.
Record-Breaking Impact
Typhoon Bebinca is the most powerful tropical cyclone to directly impact Shanghai since Typhoon Gloria in 1949. Heavy rains and powerful winds led to the destruction of over 10,000 trees. Early reports indicate one injury, and 56,000 rescue workers have been mobilized to address the storm's aftermath.
Travel Disruptions
The storm has severely disrupted travel in Shanghai. All flights at the city's two main airports have been canceled, and ferry services, along with over 570 passenger trains, have been suspended. The Mid-Autumn Festival public holiday has compounded travel disruptions, with many travelers stranded. Singapore Airlines has canceled four flights to and from Shanghai Pudong Airport and warned of potential further cancellations.
Shanghai's flood control headquarters have received numerous reports of storm-related incidents, including fallen trees and damaged billboards. Parks over the city have been closed, and climate alarms have been lifted to the most noteworthy levels in four areas.
Highways were closed at 1 a.m., and a 40 km/h speed limit has been imposed on city roads. The ordinarily bustling roads of Shanghai were about purge amid surge hour, with thick haze darkening the city's horizon.
Despite the severe weather, some residents and workers continued their activities. Xiong Zhuowu, a Baoshan district resident, shared a video of damage caused by the storm, highlighting concerns about falling trees. Meanwhile, delivery workers and clean-up crews faced challenging conditions as they navigated streets littered with debris.
Specialists have emptied 9,000 inhabitants from Chongming Area, an island at the Yangtze River's mouth.In neighboring Zhejiang province, intense waves battered the coastline. Tropical storm Bebinca has moreover affected Japan and the central and southern Philippines, where it has caused fatalities and wounds.
By early Monday afternoon, the storm's eye had moved from Shanghai to Jiangsu province, with heavy rains expected to continue throughout the day. CCTV reported that Bebinca will advance northwest, bringing additional rain and high winds to Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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