Shanghai has taken significant precautions as Typhoon Bebinca approaches, potentially becoming the strongest storm to hit the city since 1949.
The Category 1 typhoon, with sustained winds of 144 km/h (89 mph), is expected to make landfall on China’s eastern coast after midnight on Monday September 16. As of Sunday evening, the storm was located 400 km southeast of Shanghai. Authorities have shut down air, sea, and major ground transport, including cancelling flights, halting train services, and closing key tourist attractions such as Shanghai Disney Resort. This has been done to ensure public safety as the city prepares for the storm’s impact.
The China Meteorological Administration has issued a red alert, forecasting strong winds and heavy rainfall across eastern China. Typhoon Bebinca’s potential severity has drawn comparisons to Typhoon Gloria, which struck Shanghai in 1949 with similar wind speeds.
Although Shanghai is usually spared the more powerful storms that affect southern China, officials are not taking any risks, especially with the storm arriving during the Mid-Autumn Festival, a key national holiday.
Nearby provinces, including Zhejiang and Anhui, are also preparing for the storm. In Zhejiang, ships have been recalled and parks in Hangzhou have closed. China’s Ministry of Water Resources has issued a Level-IV emergency response for potential flooding across the affected regions, highlighting the widespread risk posed by the typhoon.
