Shanghai prepares for orange-alerted Typhoon Muifa
Shanghai police officers patrol the local landmark, the Bund, in downtown Huangpu District amid downpour on Wednesday.
Shanghai Meteorological Bureau upgraded the typhoon alert to orange at 4pm on Wednesday, as Typhoon Muifa approaches.
Orange is the second-highest level in its four-tier weather warning system.
The bureau also sounded a yellow rainstorm alert, the second lowest alert, earlier on Wednesday.
More downpours and strong winds are expected to lash the city from tonight to tomorrow.
A drone and robot dog are used to collect data from this year's 12th typhoon, Muifa.
Along with the typhoon alert, the city's flood prevention office also raised the emergency response to level-two, the second highest in its four-tier system, warning that outside work should stop, and relevant departments should stay alert.
Residents are advised to reduce outdoor activities amid the typhoon-approach period and stay safe.
Muifa, this year's 12th typhoon, was at 217 kilometers southeast of Nanhuizui in the Pudong New Area, Shanghai, at 3pm Wednesday, with wind power around its center up to 173 kilometers per hour, according to the bureau.
It is moving closer at a speed of 20 to 25 kilometers per hour.
And it is predicted to make first landfall through the coastal area of Xiangshan in Zhejiang. It is then expected to pass through Hangzhou Bay early Thursday and may land again between Jinshan, Shanghai and Pinghu.
The typhoon research team, the Asia-Pacific Typhoon Collaborative Research Center went to Lujiazui area in Pudong to study the typhoon's effect on highrises, according to the bureau.
Drones, robots and laser radars have been used to collect data from Typhoon Muifa.
The data collection work was launched this afternoon, and is planned to continue until tomorrow night. The data will be used to build a digital weather forecast system in the future.
