Typhoon heads toward Shanghai
Shanghai was put on a blue typhoon alert, the lowest on a four-tier system, at 8pm yesterday as Typhoon Rumbia heads toward eastern China.
The typhoon will bring gusty winds and heavy rainfall from late today into tomorrow, local weather authority said.
A tropical depression, which formed on waters northeast of Taiwan Island at 8am yesterday, quickly developed into this year’s 18th typhoon. It was located on waters 465 kilometers southeast of Xiangshan County, in Zhejiang Province, as of 3pm yesterday.
Moving at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour, it is set to make landfall on China’s eastern coastline, somewhere between Zhejiang and Shanghai, either late today or early tomorrow, according to the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau.
The storm could bring 50 to 80 millimeters of precipitation to the city, with some hard hit areas possibly receiving rainfalls up to 200 millimeters, according to the weather authority.
Today and tomorrow, the high temperature is forecast to fall to around 30 degrees Celsius.
The weekend will be overcast to cloudy, with scattered showers and thunderstorms. The high could rise to 32 degrees, forecasters said.
Rumbia will be this year’s fourth typhoon to hit eastern China. Since 1949, the area has received an average of just one typhoon landfall per year.
The city’s flood prevention headquarters issued a notice yesterday ordering all official bodies to take precautions against rainstorms and high sea levels.
Pump station operators were urged to examine their emergency equipment and be prepared to drain water at any moment after the rains arrive.
The notice also asked sanitation workers to clear street drains to prevent flooding.
The notice further stressed that authorities should take precautions against falling objects. Those who failed to carry out such inspections would be held accountable for mishaps.
Boats offshore are urged to return to safety when necessary, while construction workers at or near the sea should retreat immediately if an order to do so is given.
