Hagupit weakens as it approaches Shanghai

The Shanghai Meteorological Bureau issued the yellow alerts, the third highest in a four-tier system, of rainstorm and lightning at 9:45pm on Tuesday and a blue alert of typhoon, which was released on Monday, has not been revoked.

The alerts of typhoon are yellow in some areas such as the Pudong New Area and Fengxian District, the bureau said. The alert of rainstorm is orange, the second highest, in Jinshan District.

Hagupit has been downgraded from typhoon to severe tropical storm, with a maximum wind force of 90 kilometers per hour, the city's meteorological bureau said at 5pm on Tuesday.

It had reached neighboring Zhejiang Province at 3:30am with a maximum wind force of 136kph, the National Meteorological Center said.

Although its intensity is declining, approaching within 50km to 80km west of the city with a speed of 28kph, wind and precipitation in the city is increasing, the bureau said.

Local coastal areas will suffer winds up to 88kph on Tuesday night and up to 102kph at Yangshan Port, sufficient to uproot trees, the bureau reported. 

The city will suffer over 80 millimeters of precipitation in total for six hours from Tuesday night to Wednesday morning, it said. And some areas is expected to experience torrential rain, the bureau said.

The city’s flood prevention bureau has made preparations for rainstorms brought by Hagupit.

Water conservancy departments have lowered river levels. Pumping stations have been maintained in advance to prepare for emergencies. Drainage systems along roads have been cleaned.

Firms along rivers are required to shut flood gates to avoid tidal backflows.

Billboards, air-conditioners, glass walls and highrise decorations have been inspected to ensure safety and avoid anyone being hit by falling objects.

The flood prevention bureau is urging tougher safety management at key areas such as airports, Yangshan Port, the Lingang New Area, construction sites and tourist attractions. Maritime crews and fishing vessels are required to stay in port.

Tourist attractions such as Jinshan City Beach, Langxia Ecological Park and Huakaihaishang Ecological Park have been shut from 3pm on Tuesday to 10am on Wednesday due to Hagupit.

The Bihaijinsha wharf scenic area in Fengxian District was also closed from 3pm with its reopening depending on the weather. 

Outdoor screenings on Tuesday night for the 26th Shanghai TV Festival have been canceled at Xintiandi in Huangpu District, Kaiyuan Dizhonghai Business Plaza and Yun Jian Granary Cultural and Creative Park in Songjiang District, Daning Music Plaza and Life Hub at Daning mall in Jing’an District, Global Harbor Mall in Putuo District and Life Hub at Jinqiao Plaza in the Pudong New Area.

The city's greenery authorities have inspected outdoor advertisement boards and signs and landscape lights and ordered enhanced efforts in cleaning drains to prevent flooding.

Hanging facilities at key business areas and areas with big crowds, and on old structures have been particularly targeted in inspections to ensure safety, the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau said.  

The city's weather bureau said winds in the city on Wednesday are expected to be weaker and 50 to 61kph in coastal areas.

The bureau said the hot weather is to return, although the 13th solar term liqiu — the start of autumn — begins on Friday. 

The maximum temperature on Tuesday was 31.3 degrees Celsius recorded at the Xujiahui meteorological center in Xuhui District and will rise to 33 degrees on Wednesday before reaching 37 degrees on Sunday, the bureau said. The official start of autumn, when there have been five consecutive days of temperatures below 22 degrees, is not due to arrive soon, it added.

Zhou Guanbo, an official with the National Meteorological Center, said Hagupit, with a radius of about 160km, was smaller than other typhoons but, at a speed of over 20kph, was faster.