Shanghai has evacuated around 280,000 people and canceled flights as a tropical storm crossed China’s financial hub, bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall that threatens flash flooding.
Storm Co-may — known locally as Zhu Jie Cao — made landfall for the second time on the coast of Shanghai’s Fengxian district on Wednesday afternoon after making landfall in Zhejiang province early in the morning, according to the Shanghai Central Meteorological Observatory. The system could dump as much as 320 millimeters (12.6 inches) of rain on Shanghai and other areas over 24 hours to 8 a.m. on July 31, authorities said earlier.
The storm is expected to move inland toward the southeastern part of Jiangsu province later in the evening and on to eastern Anhui province on Thursday night, according to the China Meteorological Administration.
The tropical storm has led to widespread transport disruptions in Shanghai, with local media reporting a suspension to ferry services and a reduction in speed limits on highways. The city’s Pudong and Hongqiao airports expect to cancel nearly 30% of all inbound and outbound flights on Wednesday due to the approaching system, according to a statement from operator.
Shanghai activated an emergency response for flood and typhoon prevention, and by mid-morning, thousands of people were relocated from areas with high risk of impact, according to state media. The housing and urban development authorities also ordered a full work suspension at most construction sites.
Yangshan Port, the world’s largest container port, suspended operations from Tuesday, state-run The Paper reported. Zhoushan, home to some of China’s largest oil storage tanks and refineries, activated its emergency response and urged staff to take safety precautions, according to a notice from the maritime safety administration posted on its social media account on Tuesday night.
Co-may first struck the Philippines last week, before tracking north and hitting Japan’s Okinawa Island and then looping toward China.
Photograph: A pedestrian struggles with umbrella in strong winds and rain brought by typhoon Co-may in Shanghai, China; photo credit: Wang Gang/VCG/Getty Images