China cancels flights, moves ships as Typhoon N-Fa approaches

Beijing canceled flights in eastern China and ordered cargo ships to leave the area on Saturday, as Typhoon “N-Fa” moved toward mainland China, after rain fell on Taiwan.

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The China Meteorological Administration announced that the typhoon is expected to hit the coast of Zhejiang Province, south of Shanghai, on Sunday afternoon or Saturday evening.

The Taiwan Meteorological Bureau said the storm had winds of 155 kilometers per hour, with gusts of up to 191 kilometers per hour, while the storm moved northwest, away from Taiwan.

The official Chinese news agency, “Xinhua”, said that the authorities had issued orders to close schools, markets and businesses in Zhejiang, noting that road traffic would be suspended if necessary.

The airport in the provincial capital Hangzhou, southwest of Shanghai, canceled 90 percent of flights, and large container ships were evacuated from Shanghai’s Yangshan Port, one of the world’s busiest shipping hubs, the Zhejiang Daily reported on its website.

The port administration was quoted as saying that winds off the coast were 89 to 102 kilometers per hour (55 to 65 miles per hour) and would accelerate.

The train service in parts of the Yangtze River Delta around Shanghai will be suspended from Saturday to Thursday, Xinhua said, citing the China Railway Shanghai Group.

Typhoon “N-Fa” caused high sea waves and torrential rain in Taiwan, but there were no reports of deaths or injuries.

Source: “Associated Press”

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