Shanghai evacuates over 280,000 amid tropical storm Co-May threat

More than 280,000 people have been evacuated from Shanghai on Wednesday as tropical storm Co-May approaches China’s financial hub, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and widespread disruption, Bloomberg reported.

 

The storm has also created similar conditions in parts of China's eastern coast, reported the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

 

The storm landed near Zhoushan in Zhejiang province around 4:30 am on Wednesday with maximum sustained winds of 83 km/h, SCMP reported, citing the National Meteorological Centre. 

 

Preventive measures

 

Shanghai's emergency response system for flood and typhoon prevention was activated, and thousands were relocated from high-risk zones.

 

Construction work was halted across the city, and ferry services were suspended. Highways imposed speed restrictions, and air travel was significantly affected — nearly 30 per cent of all inbound and outbound flights at Pudong and Hongqiao airports were cancelled, according to the Bloomberg report.

 

Yangshan Port, one of the world’s busiest container terminals, also suspended operations from Tuesday as a precaution. In Zhoushan, which hosts several major oil storage facilities and refineries, the maritime safety administration issued warnings and instructed staff to follow safety protocols, the report added.

 

Massive earthquake in Russia

 

The storm alert followed a tsunami yellow alert issued earlier in the day after a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula earlier on Wednesday. China’s Tsunami Warning Centre warned that waves up to one metre high could reach the coast of Shanghai and Zhejiang, but the alert was lifted by early afternoon, SCMP reported.

 

According to the Bloomberg report, the storm could bring up to 320 millimetres of rain in some areas over 24 hours ending Thursday morning.