Strongest typhoon in 75 years.. Typhoon Bebinca hits Shanghai, China

Arab Weather - Tens of millions of residents in Shanghai and China's eastern coast were forced to stay in their homes on Monday, as Typhoon Bebinca passed, which is the strongest to hit this region in 75 years. The typhoon caused the cancellation of many flights and the implementation of mass evacuations.

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China | Strongest typhoon in over 7 decades hits Shanghai with strong winds, heavy rain

hurricane path

Typhoon Bebinca first passed through the Philippines, then Japan, before making landfall in eastern Shanghai, specifically in the Lingang New City area of Pudong District, at around 07:30 local time (23:30 GMT Sunday). Chinese authorities declared a red alert in the city due to the severity of the typhoon.

• Wind force and its effect

Typhoon Bebinca is the "strongest to make landfall in Shanghai since 1949," state broadcaster CCTV reported, with winds reaching 151 kilometers per hour. All flights at Shanghai's two main airports were cancelled as the typhoon approached China's east coast, one of the country's most densely populated areas.

• Evacuation and precautionary measures

Shanghai Municipality has advised its 25 million residents to stay indoors during the typhoon. Nine thousand people have been evacuated from Chongming, an island at the mouth of the Yangtze River. Expressways in the city have been closed and the speed limit has been set at 40 kilometers per hour to ensure drivers' safety.

• The impact of the hurricane on daily life

Typhoon Bebinca hit just as the Mid-Autumn Festival, a public holiday, China's official Xinhua news agency reported. However, the railway operator said 74 million people were expected to travel during the period. The Ministry of Disaster Management has urged employees to be extra vigilant, especially given the "massive movement" of people during the holiday.

While many shops in Shanghai were closed for the holiday, some residents took to the streets despite the harsh weather. Among them was Wu Yun, who said she had to go out for work reasons, noting that "the situation is okay" compared to the typhoons she had experienced in southern China. However, she had difficulty opening her umbrella due to the strong winds.

Leaves and branches were scattered on sidewalks, bicycles were toppled and delivery workers struggled to move in the strong winds. Traffic was completely halted on a downtown street after a large tree fell, an AFP journalist reported.

Xun Guo, a resident doctor in Baoshan District, said he felt very stressed by the typhoon and was constantly watching the situation from his window. He said the management of the building where he lives warned residents of some unstable trees and asked them to change their parking spots to avoid trees falling on them. A video released by local authorities in Baoshan showed strong winds uprooting several trees along the riverbank.

Typhoon Bebinca will bring heavy rain and strong winds to Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces, Chinese media reported. At 11:00 a.m. local time (03:00 GMT), the typhoon was moving northwest at a speed of 15 to 20 kilometers per hour, with its intensity gradually weakening.

Effects of climate change

On Monday morning, the Shanghai Flood Control Headquarters received dozens of reports of typhoon-related incidents, including fallen trees and billboards, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The station aired footage of a journalist covering the events from the coast of Zhoushan in Zhejiang province, where huge waves were hitting the shore.

China is among the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming. Experts say climate change has made hurricanes stronger, with storms forming closer to coasts, intensifying more quickly, and staying over land longer.

• Destruction in Japan and the Philippines

Before reaching Shanghai, Typhoon Bebinca hit Japan's Amami Island on Saturday night, packing winds of up to 198 kilometers per hour, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The typhoon, which was in its tropical storm stage, also killed six people in the Philippines when trees fell.

• Cyclones in Southeast Asia

Typhoon Bebinca wasn’t the only one to hit Southeast Asia recently. Typhoon Yagi hit the region last weekend, killing more than 400 people in Myanmar (Burma) and Vietnam, as well as Laos, Thailand and the Philippines, according to official figures.

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