Shanghai upgrades alert for typhoon Ampil to third-highest level

Shanghai Meteorological Bureau upgraded the typhoon alert from yellow to orange, third of the four-tier warning system, at 5:30pm on Saturday. 

According to the national meteorological center, typhoon Ampil is very likely to make landfall on Shanghai tomorrow morning. At 5pm, it arrived on the waters 425 kilometers southeast to Xiangshan County in Zhejiang Province. 

It is forecast to pass through Zhoushan Islands in the wee hours tomorrow and then make landfall on Shanghai, according to the center. Its path may still change and officials are keeping an eye on it.

Ampil, emerged on Wednesday night on waters east of the Philippines, arrived on waters 680 kilometers southeast of Shanghai. It is moving to the northwest at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour and gaining its strength.

Scattered rains started to hit the city from Saturday afternoon. It will be raining cats and dogs Saturday night and Sunday, with an estimated accumulated rainfall of up to 150 millimeters in some regions.

Donghai Bridge has been closed to vehicles in both ways except for those serving special purposes including emergency rescue, Shanghai Road Administration announced on Saturday afternoon.

Also speed limits have been placed on some of the city's expressways with 100 kilometers per hour for G50, 80 kilometers per hour for G60 and G15, and 60 kilometers per hour for the part of S32 within Qingpu District.

According to the rail authority, all trains commuting between downtown Shanghai and Jinshan District will be suspended on July 22.

Meanwhile, a new tropical depression has developed on the South China Sea this morning, according to the national meteorological center.

It arrived on the waters 430 kilometers southwest to Taiwan's Cape Eluanbi at 11am and is moving to the northeast at a speed of 19 kilometers per hour. It is expected to grow to typhoon within 24 hours. Taiwan and Zhejiang may be affected, the center said.