Shanghai was hit by Typhoon Bebinca

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Typhoon Bebinca was accompanied by winds of up to 151 kilometers per hour making it the strongest storm since Typhoon Gloria in 1949. Local authorities had to temporarily suspend flights and train services. All residents have been urged to stay away from their homes during the typhoon's rampage. Car traffic could continue but its speed was limited to 40 kilometers per hour.

The worst situation was in Chongming district where a red alert was also declared. The district is located on an island near the mouth of the Yangtze River. It was here that around nine thousand residents had to be evacuated. Sea transport was also significantly limited. Authorities ordered all vessels to return to shore due to rough seas. In total, around three hundred and seventy thousand residents were evacuated in the Shanghai area.

Meteorologists point out that the neighboring province of Zhejiang was similarly affected. The typhoon brought heavy rainfall and damaging winds to the area leaving behind massive damage.

It is relatively rare for strong storms to hit even major Chinese cities. Most of the strong typhoons penetrate mainly to the south of China. Typhoon Bebinca is the second strong storm to hit China in a short time. Last week typhoon Yagi swept through Hainan province which later ravaged Vietnam.

Source:Aljazeera/Editorial