Shanghai Hit by Strongest Typhoon Since 1949

Shanghai ushered in a strong typhoon during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Storm Bebigat made landfall in Pudong Lingang New Town at about 7:30 this morning. The maximum wind force nearby was level 14 and the wind speed exceeded 150 kilometers per hour. It became the strongest typhoon to land in Shanghai since 1949. It is expected to penetrate deep into the inland, bringing strong winds and rain to Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui and other places.

The Central Meteorological Observatory issued a red warning for typhoon. It is expected that the intensity of Bebigia will gradually weaken as it continues to move west-northwest. It also said that today and tomorrow, winds will still be strong in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai and its coastal areas. Shanghai, southeastern Jiangsu, northeastern Zhejiang, etc. There will be strong winds of magnitude 9 to 11, gusts of magnitude 12 to 13, and local winds of magnitude 12 to 14 and gusts of magnitude 15 to 16 in the ground and coastal areas, Hangzhou Bay, Yangtze River Estuary area, and waters near Zhoushan Islands.

When Bebigat landed in Shanghai, the weather in Lingang New Town was extremely bad. The authorities received more than 50 reports of disasters, including fallen trees and falling billboards. Shanghai has evacuated more than 410,000 people and more than 56,000 emergency personnel are on standby. Four districts in Shanghai have adopted “six suspensions” measures, namely temporary suspension of classes, suspension of work, suspension of operations, suspension of flights, suspension of parks and suspension of business. Shanghai Metro’s elevated surface lines are suspended. All highways in the city are closed for traffic control. A total of more than 1,400 flights were canceled at Pudong and Hongqiao airports today. Inter-provincial passenger transport to Zhejiang and Jiangsu, bus 127 has been suspended.

The Zhejiang Provincial Flood Control, Drought and Wind Prevention Headquarters upgraded the typhoon emergency response to Level 2 in the evening, requiring all local departments to fully implement defense response measures. Zhejiang province has relocated more than 200,000 people, all 153 coastal ferry routes have been suspended, offshore construction projects and wind power projects have been suspended, and all operating personnel have been evacuated.