Chinese authorities stated Tuesday that over 330,000 residents in Shanghai had been evacuated as the city prepares for Typhoon Chanthu's torrential rains and severe gusts.
The Shanghai meteorological centre said Chanthu was expected to stay over seawaters between 100 and 200 kilometres east of Shanghai from Monday night to Wednesday before weakening and heading northeastward away from the city on Thursday, according to Xinhua news agency.
From Monday night through Wednesday, parts of Shanghai are expected to receive up to 250 mm of rain. To prepare for the typhoon, local officials have cancelled 150 long-distance buses, paused some maritime and rail transit services, and closed 112 tourist attractions.
Typhoon Chanthu was given a yellow notice, the third-highest level of alert, by the provincial meteorological centre in Jiangsu Province in east China on Monday.
On Tuesday, the education officials in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, announced the suspension of lessons at kindergartens, primary and secondary schools.
Typhoon Chanthu, the 14th typhoon to hit China this year, swamped Taiwan on Sunday, prompting the government to take cautious precautions.
Although the storm was reduced over the weekend, Shanghai officials issued an orange typhoon warning for Tuesday as Typhoon Chanthu brought severe gusts and rain to the eastern Chinese metropolis.
According to the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Centre, Chanthu unleashed eight-meter high waves when it approached Shanghai's coast this afternoon.
According to flight-tracking service Flightradar24, most flights out of Shanghai's Pudong and Hongqiao Airports have been cancelled, and Shanghai Disneyland has announced that it will be closed until Tuesday.
After originally appearing last week between Guam and the Philippines, Chanthu quickly evolved from depression into a super typhoon with wind gusts of up to 257 km/h.
Over the weekend, the storm was weakened, but Shanghai officials maintained an orange typhoon notice — the second-highest warning level — and advised residents to "avoid outdoor activities and large-scale meetings."
On Sunday night, CCTV footage showed workers in plastic ponchos going door to door to warn people about the storm.
Subway trains have been suspended, and all elementary and secondary school pupils have been advised to stay home from Monday afternoon to Tuesday.
On Sunday, the storm passed over Taiwan's eastern coast without making landfall, causing authorities to cancel ferry services and close public facilities.
Scientists have long warned that as the world warms due to man-made climate change, typhoons are growing more intense and strengthening more quickly.
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