Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated as Typhoon Bebinca made landfall near Shanghai, China’s financial hub.
The typhoon struck around 07:30 local time (23:30 GMT) on Monday, hitting the coastal area of Lingang New City in Shanghai’s east, according to the China Meteorological Administration. This is the most powerful storm to hit Shanghai in 75 years, as reported by Chinese state media.
In response to the storm, over 400,000 residents in the Shanghai Metropolitan area were relocated by Sunday evening, with an additional 9,000 evacuating from Chongming District, an island at the mouth of the Yangtze River also part of Shanghai.
The impact on transportation was significant: hundreds of flights were cancelled, train services were halted, and highways were closed. A 40km/h (25mph) speed limit was imposed on city roads. Residents of Shanghai’s 25 million people were advised to stay indoors as the storm struck.
Authorities issued a red alert, the highest warning level, as Typhoon Bebinca brought wind speeds of up to 151km/h (94 mph). It is anticipated to weaken as it progresses inland.
Online videos captured the storm’s effects, including toppled trees and damaged infrastructure. A video from Shanghai Daily showed billboards collapsing onto Huaihai Road, a major shopping area.
Discussion of the storm dominated Chinese social media, with users expressing concern about its severity. One Weibo user commented, “This is the kind of thing you’d only see on television,” sharing a video of violently swaying trees.
Typhoons directly hitting Shanghai are uncommon, with most making landfall further south. The city’s flood control headquarters reported numerous incidents related to the storm, such as fallen trees and billboards.
Major attractions in Shanghai, including Shanghai Disney Resort, Jinjiang Amusement Park, and Shanghai Wild Animal Park, were temporarily closed, and many ferries were suspended.
In addition to Bebinca’s impact, Typhoon Yagi recently struck China’s southern Hainan island, resulting in four deaths and 95 injuries, and caused severe flooding in Southeast Asia, with hundreds killed in Vietnam and Myanmar. Bebinca also affected Japan and the central and southern Philippines, where falling trees claimed six lives.
Chinese state media forecasts Bebinca to move north-west, bringing heavy rain and high winds to Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces.
