Rare Storm Path: Typhoon Bebinca Takes Aim in Unprecedented Direction, China on High Alert

Typhoon Bebinca has moved away from Japan’s Amami Island area and is crossing the East China Sea, according to Kyodo.

As of 6 a.m. (local time) on September 15, the storm was about 230 kilometers west-northwest of Amami City and moving northwest at a speed of about 25 kilometers per hour, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.

Also according to JMA, Bebinca has winds of up to 180 km/h at the center of the storm and is expected to weaken into a tropical storm on September 16.

The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) forecast on September 14 that Bebinca would make landfall along the coast from Taizhou City (Zhejiang Province) to Kaidong City (Jiangsu Province) from the night of September 15 to the morning of September 16 (local time) and then gradually weaken.

The CMA also noted that there are still some uncertainties regarding the storm’s intensity and timing of landfall.

CMA forecasts that the storm is likely to make landfall in the area from Ningbo City (Zhejiang) to Shanghai City, with the intensity of a typhoon or strong storm.

Typhoon Bebinca could make landfall further north than previous autumn storms that have hit China. Photo: Watchers

Typhoon Bebinca could make landfall further north than previous autumn storms that have hit China.

Eastern regions of China are calling on ships to return to port and monitoring the risk of flash floods and geological disasters as Bebinca approaches, Xinhua news agency reported.

From the evening of September 15 to the morning of September 16 (local time), Typhoon Bebinca will make landfall along the coast from Taizhou (Zhejiang) to Kaidong City (Jiangsu) and cause heavy rain, China’s Ministry of Emergency Management warned.

Level 4 storm and flood response has been issued for Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian and Jiangsu.

This is the lowest level in China’s four-tier emergency response system.