By Hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated as Typhoon Bebinca, the strongest storm to hit Shanghai in 75 years, made landfall near China’s financial hub. The powerful typhoon struck the coastal area of Lingang New City in Shanghai’s east at 07:30 local time (23:30 GMT) on Monday, according to the China Meteorological Administration.
By Sunday evening, more than 400,000 residents of the Shanghai metropolitan area had been relocated as a precaution. Additionally, 9,000 people were evacuated from Chongming District, an island at the mouth of the Yangtze River that is part of Shanghai.
In response to the typhoon, hundreds of flights were canceled, and both of the city’s major airports grounded operations. Train services were halted, highways were closed, and a speed limit of 40 km/h (25 mph) was imposed within the city. The 25 million residents of Shanghai were urged to stay indoors as wind speeds of up to 151 km/h (94 mph) were recorded at the typhoon’s eye. Authorities issued a red alert for Bebinca, the highest warning level, though the storm is expected to weaken as it moves inland.
Videos circulating online showed trees being uprooted and severe flooding, with some residents struggling to move their vehicles through waterlogged streets. In one clip shared by Shanghai Daily, a bus came to a sudden halt as strong winds toppled billboards along Huaihai Road, a major shopping area.
The storm was widely discussed on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, with users expressing fear over its severity. Some advised others to ensure their doors and windows were secured and to avoid unnecessary travel. Shanghai, which rarely experiences direct hits from strong typhoons, received dozens of reports of damage from fallen trees and billboards, according to the city’s flood control headquarters.
As a safety measure, several resorts, including Shanghai Disney Resort, Jinjiang Amusement Park, and Shanghai Wild Animal Park, have temporarily closed. Ferries have also been suspended.
This month, another typhoon, Yagi, caused widespread devastation, killing at least four people and injuring 95 in China’s southern Hainan island. It also caused severe flooding in Vietnam and Myanmar, leading to hundreds of deaths. Before striking Shanghai, Typhoon Bebinca passed through Japan and the Philippines, where falling trees killed six people.
Chinese state media reported that Bebinca is expected to move northwest, bringing heavy rain and high winds to the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui.
