Lagatar24 Desk
Shanghai: Chinese authorities are on high alert as Typhoon Bebinca moves toward the country’s densely populated eastern coastline, with expectations of heavy rainfall beginning Sunday night through Monday morning. The powerful storm is set to make landfall along areas that include the megacity of Shanghai, according to the emergency management ministry in Beijing.
In a statement released on Saturday, the ministry warned that the typhoon could bring “heavy to torrential” downpours with “local heavy or extremely heavy rainstorms” anticipated between Sunday and Tuesday. Officials convened that day to “research and deploy flood and typhoon control work in key areas,” emphasizing the need for preparedness.
The water resources ministry has activated a level-four emergency response—the lowest in a four-tier system—for potential flooding in Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui, as reported by state news agency Xinhua.
Typhoon Bebinca’s arrival coincides with the Mid-Autumn Festival, a significant public holiday in China marked by increased travel. The emergency management ministry noted, “Many people will be traveling; mobility will be high, and safety risks will be prominent.” Officials have been urged to “pay close attention to the development of the typhoon.”
Shanghai municipal authorities have advised residents to “strengthen efforts to guard against harmful effects of the typhoon on high-altitude work, transportation, infrastructure, and agriculture.” As a precaution, some flights to and from major airports in Shanghai were canceled or rescheduled on Sunday, according to state media. Additionally, passenger shipping lines are suspended from Sunday, based on an official statement from the municipal port and shipping development center.
China, being the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, is experiencing more frequent and intense extreme weather events attributed to climate change. Earlier this month, Typhoon Yagi struck China’s southern Hainan Island, resulting in at least four deaths and 95 injuries, according to national weather authorities.
Before heading toward China, Typhoon Bebinca passed over Japan’s Amami Island, bringing gusts of up to 198 kilometers per hour, as reported by the Japan Meteorological Agency. “In the Amami region, the risk of landslides has increased due to the heavy rainfall until now,” the agency stated.
Last month, another powerful typhoon caused heavy rains across Japan, disrupting transportation and claiming at least six lives. In 2021, severe rainfall led to a devastating landslide in the Japanese resort town of Atami, killing 27 people.
