World's first typhoon research center debuts in Shanghai

The world's first typhoon research center, the Asia-Pacific Typhoon Collaborative Research Center, was launched in Shanghai on Wednesday, the city's meteorological authorities said.

The research center will consist of a Asia-Pacific regional typhoon test center, a typhoon numerical model research and development center, a global tropical cyclone research center, a multidisciplinary center and an incubation base. It will focus on the forecasting, scientific observation and testing of typhoons.

Tropical cyclones are one of the most important natural disasters in the world. Shanghai is hit by typhoons every year as it is located near the Northwest Pacific Ocean which is affected by more than one-third of the global typhoons each year.