China issues red alert for rainstorms as Typhoon Bavi makes landfall

BEIJING: Nearly two million people have been evacuated in eastern China as Typhoon Bavi made landfall, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the region, officials said.

Several Chinese cities, including the capital Beijing, have stepped up emergency response measures on Saturday as the local authorities issued a red alert for rainstorms as Typhoon Bavi barrelled down on its east coast.

Bavi, the ninth typhoon of the year, landed on the coast of east China's Zhejiang Province at around 11:20 pm Saturday, Zhejiang provincial meteorological observatory said.

The typhoon, with the maximum wind force at its centre reaching 40 meters per second, churned ashore at Yuhuan City, a county-level city, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier on Saturday, China's National Meteorological Centre issued a red alert for rainstorms, the highest level in its four-tier system, and an orange alert for the typhoon, Xinhua reported.

More than 2 million people have been evacuated in eastern China, the report added.

Within 24 hours until 2 pm on Sunday, torrential rains are expected to drench large parts of the country, including Zhejiang, northern Fujian, northeastern Jiangxi and southern Anhui, and some parts of Beijing and Hebei, according to the national observatory's forecast.

Scores of flights and ferry services have been cancelled across eastern China, while Zhejiang province has stepped up emergency preparations.

Cangnan County, a possible landing point for the typhoon in Zhejiang’s Wenzhou city, has relocated people to safety and set up temporary shelters in local schools.

Nine districts in Beijing activated a Level-I emergency response for flood control on Saturday afternoon after a red alert for torrential rain was issued for these regions. Downpours are forecast to batter the districts of Fangshan, Pinggu, Miyun, Huairou, Mentougou, Fengtai, Daxing, Tongzhou and Shunyi, mostly in the suburbs, the Beijing Meteorological Observatory announced on Saturday.

China Southern Airlines and Spring Airlines have cancelled about 60 flights to and from Shanghai.

The neighbouring province of Zhejiang raised its typhoon emergency preparations to the highest level, which allows it to relocate large numbers of people, close schools and workplaces, and mobilise all resources needed.

Over 50 major tourist attractions in Shanghai have been temporarily closed or adjusted their operating hours on Saturday as Typhoon Bavi barrels toward the country's eastern coast, according to the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism and scenic sites operators.

After landfall, Bavi is forecast to move northwestward and then shift toward a more northerly direction.