Chinese authorities have evacuated more than 800,000 people and canceled hundreds of flights as a strong typhoon with wind gusts up to 125 miles per hour headed toward the country’s southeastern coast on Saturday.
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It was expected to make landfall in the afternoon or evening near the port of Ningbo, home to nearly six million people, before brushing Shanghai and its population of 23 million.
Domestic flights were cancelled in South Korea Sunday, July 12, as Typhoon Chan-hom (Philippine codename Falcon) brought strong winds and heavy rainfall to southwestern provinces.
All flights to and from the region were cancelled and bus services and speedboat ferry services stopped.
No deaths or injuries were reported up to late yesterday.
At the same time, Japan is closely watching Typhoon Nangka, which may make landfall next week.
China’s meteorological authority on Sunday downgraded the alert for Typhoon Chan-Hom from red to orange as it is set to weaken on its way to move northeast.
As the Korean Peninsula came under the influence of Typhoon Chan-hom, some coastal areas of South Jeolla Province have winds up to 30 meters per second, according to the weather office.
People look on as waves from Typhoon Chan-hom hit the shore in Wenling, Zhejiang province in China on July 10, 2015. According to Xinhua, about 1.07 million people were evacuated, highways were closed, and 29,641 ships recalled to port.
Reports indicate that the storm led to casualties and damages to properties as it progressed towards China.
The typhoon was forecast to affect a wide swathe of China, also bringing heavy rain to the eastern provinces of Fujian and Jiangsu, the NMC said.
Some 189 power lines were cut as the typhoon swept through Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province.
On Saturday night the city of Shanghai will feel the brunt of Chan-hom.
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Shanghai has also evacuated 163,000 people and called back 3,000 ships to harbor as the city experienced rainstorms and strong gales on Saturday, the city’s flood control authority said.
