TYPHOON IN-FA LASHES EASTERN CHINA AS COUNTRY RECOVERS FROM MASS FLOODING

Sun 25 July 2021:

Typhoon In-Fa has lashed China’s southeastern coast as the country is trying to eliminate the consequences of mass flooding, the China Meteorological Administration said on Sunday.

The typhoon, the sixth to hit the area this year, made landfall on the coast of the city of Zhoushan in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang at 12:30 local time (04:30 GMT), just days after deadly floods devastated central regions of the country..

The storm hit as central China is still reeling from record flooding that killed at least 58, cut off power and forced the relocation of more than 1 million people.

“We will make every effort to ensure the safety of people’s lives and property, and do everything to minimise disaster losses, and strive to achieve the goal of no deaths and few injuries and economic losses,” said Yuan Jiajun, Zhejiang province Communist Party secretary, during an inspection of preparations on Saturday, official media reported.

 

The typhoon earlier dumped rain on Taiwan and knocked down tree branches but no deaths or injuries were reported. It was packing sustained winds of 155km (95 miles) per hour with gusts up to 191km/h (120 mph).

Hundreds of flights at Shanghai Pudong and Shanghai Hongqiao airports were cancelled and more cancellations are expected on Monday, state TV reported on its website.

The Shanghai government closed parks and the riverfront Bund district, a popular tourist area, and said it would slow its subway trains. Authorities in Hangzhou also warned residents that underground trains would be suspended.

Train service to Ningbo, a port city south of Shanghai, was also suspended, according to state TV. The Zhoushan Bridge that connects islands near Ningbo was closed. Schools, markets and businesses in Zhejiang province were ordered earlier to close.

On Saturday, large container ships were moved from Yangshan Port in Shanghai, one of the world’s busiest shipping centres. State TV said a ship lock in Nantong, which abuts Shanghai to the north, stopped releasing vessels into the Yangtze River.

Meanwhile, in central China, the death toll rose to 58 after record rains hit the major city of Zhengzhou on Tuesday, state TV reported.

The rains flooded a Zhengzhou subway tunnel where at least 12 people died, knocked out power to a hospital and other buildings and left streets filled with mud.