Strongest storm since 1949 hits Shanghai as Typhoon Bebinca lashes the city
A person sustained injuries, several homes lost power, and numerous acres of farmland were flooded following the impact of the Category 1 storm.
On September 16, Typhoon Bebinca struck Shanghai, halting the operations of the financial hub.
Upon landfall at around 7:30 a.m. local time, Bebinca was categorized as a Category 1 storm, making it the most potent tropical cyclone to reach the city since 1949, with peak wind speeds of 94 miles per hour near its center.
Authorities reported at least one injury and power outages in numerous homes.
Prior to the storm’s arrival, Shanghai took precautionary measures, such as canceling approximately 1,400 flights, recalling ships, closing schools, parks, businesses, and tourist spots, and issuing a typhoon red alert to warn residents about severe winds and heavy rainfall. Over 400,000 people were evacuated from at-risk areas, and weather experts predicted up to 12 inches of rain between September 16 and September 18.
By the afternoon of September 16, over 10,000 trees had fallen due to the storm, leading to road closures and speed restrictions. Additionally, around 132 acres of farmland were flooded.
More than 60,000 emergency responders and firefighters were deployed in Shanghai to provide assistance.
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The typhoon weakened as it traversed inland, affecting portions of Jiangsu, Anhui, and Zhejiang provinces after passing through Shanghai.
While Shanghai is situated on the coast, most tropical storms generally hit farther south in China.
Earlier in the month, a Category 4 storm struck Hainan, an island south of mainland China, and Hong Kong, causing destruction in Southeast Asia.
Typhoon Yagi resulted in a minimum of 74 fatalities in Burma, with additional individuals still unaccounted for. Four deaths were recorded in Hainan, at least 10 in Thailand, 20 in the Philippines, and over 230 in Vietnam, with numerous missing persons.
In the Philippines, the storm triggered landslides that claimed the lives of seven individuals, including a pregnant woman. Flooding from overflowing creeks led to drowning incidents and an electrocution, as reported by officials. Water levels behind the Ipo Dam north of Manila were dangerously high.
Landslides also caused devastation in Vietnam, submerging a village near Hanoi and wiping out another small village in the north.
Yagi marked the most intense typhoon in Vietnam in many years, resulting in the collapse of critical infrastructure. Notably, a steel bridge over the Red River collapsed, causing vehicles to plunge into the river.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
