Typhoon Bebinca makes landfall in Shanghai; largest to hit city in 75 years

BEIJING: Bebinca, the strongest typhoon to have hit China’s Shanghai city in 75 years packing wind speed of 42 meters, made landfall on Monday bringing the megacity of 25 million to a grinding halt.

The typhoon, with the maximum wind force near its center reaching 42 meters per second, churned ashore at the Lingang area of Shanghai's Pudong District, the Shanghai central meteorological observatory said.

The city has already mobilised thousands of relief and rescue workers to attend to emergencies.

Bebinca is believed to be the strongest typhoon to land in Shanghai in 75 years. It is the 13th typhoon to hit China this year.

The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Sunday activated a Level IV emergency response for east China's Anhui Province and raised the response in Shanghai and Zhejiang to Level III, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Bebinca has already led to flight cancellations over Shanghai and the suspension of passenger ferry operations in the city. Shanghai Railway Station has announced plans to suspend passenger trains on several routes passing through the city from Sunday to Monday.

More than 414,000 people in the megacity of 25 million have been relocated by the end of Sunday, and all highways in the city were closed in anticipation of the typhoon, Hong Kong based South China Morning Post reported.

All flights from Pudong and Hongqiao airports were cancelled from 8 pm on Sunday.

Ferries have stopped running, while bus services have been suspended in the waterfront district of Fengxian.

The operator of Shanghai's airports stated that temporary rest areas have been prepared for passengers, and in-house catering vendors and convenience stores have been instructed to offer continuous service.