Typhoon In-fa hits China’s eastern coast

Typhoon In-fa slammed into China’s east coast province of Zhejiang on Sunday.

Residents were hunkering down in anticipation of the weather system, which was packing windspeeds of up to 137 kilometers per hour (85 miles per hour) and gusts of up to 155 kph (95mph). 

The storm made landfall in the city of Zhoushan, south of commercial hub Shanghai, shortly after midday.

Shanghai’s two international airports have canceled hundreds of flights

Authorities shut Shanghai’s two international airports, with hundreds of flights canceled. Train services were also suspended and residents were warned to remain indoors.

Ports along the eastern coast halted operations, and container ships had to be moved from Shanghai’s Yangshan Port. 

The storm hit as central China is still reeling from record flooding that killed more than 50 people and uprooted more than a million. 

Typhoon expected to bring deluge

China’s Meteorological Administration predicted typhoon In-fa would weaken after making landfall. There are, however, concerns the weather system will bring heavy rainfall to the region as it moves north along the coast.

“It is necessary to be highly vigilant and prevent disasters that may be caused by extreme heavy rainfall,” the administration said Sunday.

Some of the areas hit by last week’s flooding could also be affected.

China still reeling from torrential downpours

At least 58 people were killed in the recent floods in central China, where a year’s worth of rain fell in the space of just three days.

Zhengzhou, the provincial capital of Henan province, was among the hardest-hit areas. Dramatic footage showed commuters trapped in subway trains with rising water levels. Twelve people drowned as the city’s subways became flooded death traps.

The flooding has affected millions, and left many without food or water for days. The damage is expected to run into the billions.

Annual summer flooding is not unusual in China, although this season’s deluge is raising a number of questions, with climate change being among the key issues of concern.

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  Author: Martin Kuebler

kb/nm (AP, AFP, Reuters)

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/typhoon-in-fa-hits-china-s-eastern-coast/a-58629972?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf