Heavy rains, cancelled flights: As Storm Boris rages, have you heard about Typhoon Bebinca ?

Aux Philippines, six personnes ont été tuées par la chute d'arbres causée par la tempête tropicale Bebinca. MAXPPP – FRANCIS R. MALASIG

Chinese authorities are bracing for heavy rains this Sunday, September 15, 2024 as the powerful typhoon Bebinca approaches the country's densely populated east coast and the economic capital Shanghai, where all flights will be canceled.

It is expected to make landfall and reach Shanghai, among other places, between Sunday evening and Monday, September 16, 2024 morning, according to the Ministry of Disaster Management.

The latter warned in a statement on Saturday, September 14, 2024 that the typhoon could cause very heavy rains, even "torrential"between Sunday and Tuesday.

Officials met Saturday to "find and deploy" protective measures in "key regions", the statement said.

With the typhoon's arrival coinciding with the Mid-Autumn Festival, a public holiday in the country, the railway operator expects passengers to make 74 million trips during the holiday, the official Xinhua news agency reported Saturday.

"Significant risks"

The Ministry Disaster Management has therefore called on officials to be vigilant, given that “mobility will be high and risks will be significant”.

The Ministry of Water Resources launched operations on Saturday Level four (the lowest) emergency for flood risks in Shanghai and the eastern provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

Now west of the Ryukyu Arc, Typhoon #Bebinca is passing her 20th hour of being at Cat 1 intensity since making landfall over Amami Ōshima, #Japan. With winds of 85 mph (137 kph) and a pressure of 962 mbar, Bebinca remains on a seemingly unwavering collision course with Shanghai,… pic.twitter.com/BQgHB7TpQP

— Backpirch Weather (@BackpirchCrew) September 15, 2024

Orange warnings

The meteorological service issued orange typhoon warnings – the second highest in a four-tier system – for several districts in Shanghai and parts of neighboring provinces on Sunday.

It advised people to refrain from gathering in large numbers, bring ships back to port and strengthen structures against winds violent.

Shanghai authorities urged residents on Sunday to take the best possible precautions against the effects of the typhoon "at high altitudes" and in "transport, infrastructure and agriculture".

Flights cancelled

All flights will be canceled at Shanghai's two major airports on Sunday, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said.

Traffic, affected by the approach of Typhoon Bebinca, has already slowed at the two affected airports and “from 8 p.m. all flights are canceled”, CCTV reported.

All flights to and from Shanghai were canceled on Sunday as of 8 p.m. local time, state media CCTV said.

Maritime services carrying passengers are also to be suspended from Sunday, according to an official statement from the municipal port published on social networks.

#Bebinca has strengthened back to typhoon status this morning after being completely sheared the other day & is impacting Japan's Ryukyu Islands. The Forecast for Bebinca shows it peaking to only 70kts (80 mph) before impacting the mainland of eastern China as a high-end tropical… pic.twitter.com/98q2pSyWmh

— StormHQ ☈ (@StormHQwx) September 14, 2024

A chain of destruction

China is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, which fuel global warming.

In early September, another typhoon, Yagi, struck the southern Chinese island of Hainan (south), killing at least four people and injuring 95, according to authorities.

The Experts say typhoons are forming closer to shore, intensifying faster and staying over land longer because of climate change.

China is the world's top emitter of greenhouse gases, which are fueling global warming.

Passed over Japan and the Philippines

Bebinca also passed over the southern Japanese island of Amami on Saturday night, packing winds of 198 km/h, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, reporting a “Landslides risk due to heavy rains”.

Six people have been killed in the Philippines by falling trees caused by Tropical Storm Bebinca, which hit central and southern parts of the country on Friday with strong winds and flooding, officials said on Sunday, September 15, 2024.