Thousands relocated, flights canceled as typhoon Muifa heads to eastern China

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Thousands of people were relocated to safer places and several flights were canceled as one of the strongest typhoons headed toward eastern China.

China Meteorological Administration (CMA) on Wednesday upgraded the alert level to two in emergency response to the typhoon Muifa.

“Under this emergency state, it is required that relevant meteorological departments and provincial meteorological departments like Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Shandong (regions) enter the emergency position immediately,” the CMA said in a statement.

China uses a color-coded weather alert system and two points to an orange color i.e. the second-highest level warning.

The typhoon is expected to make landfall in Zhejiang province today.

State-run Chinese daily Global Times reported that around 720,000 people were relocated in east China’s Zhejiang province as typhoon Muifa approached the middle and northern coastal areas of the region.

Authorities in several eastern provinces and port cities have fully mobilized their resources and contingency measures, including shutting down dockyards, waterways and train lines. Some schools have also been closed.

In Shanghai, some 50% of flights, totaling 589, at two of its airports were canceled on Wednesday due to the approaching typhoon.