An electric bicycle rider ride through the street in Shaoxing, East China's Zhejiang Province, which is affected by super Hinnamnor on September 4, 2022. Photo: IC

China continued to issue a yellow alert for typhoon on Sunday and has raised emergency response for flood and typhoon control to level III as typhoon Hinnamnor, the 11th of this year as well as the first super typhoon of 2022, has moved into the East China Sea near the country's eastern coastal areas and is expected to severely affect the region with gales and rainstorms between Sunday and Tuesday. 

Affected by Hinnamnor with a maximum wind speed growing to 52 meters per second near its center as of Sunday morning, parts of East China's Zhejiang Province are expected to suffer from gales and rainstorms and severe convection weather is expected to occur in parts of the coastal provinces and municipalities including East China's Zhejiang, Jiangsu province, Shanghai and the island of Taiwan. Even parts of the North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Northeast China's Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces are expected to be affected. 

On Saturday, China raised its emergency response for flood and typhoon control to level III. Hinnamnor moved to the East China Sea near Zhoushan city in Zhejiang on Saturday night and was gaining strength and is expected to move offshore upward toward the north as a super typhoon between Sunday night and the early morning of Monday, China's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said. 

It is expected to gradually turn around and move to the northeast after Monday morning. 

China's Ministry of Transport raised its emergency response for typhoon control to level III from IV on Saturday and required evacuation of maritime operators to be organized promptly. The ministry urged to focus on key waters and key ships and avoid accidents of ships dragging anchor, going aground or in collision. 

Besides, the highway and port infrastructures were required to be consolidated with projects in construction to be strengthened and personnel to be transferred for shield. 

In response to the typhoon, Zhejiang has issued 90 warnings with all the alerts for typhoons, rainstorms, mountain floods and geological disasters issued as of Sunday noon. 

Local education authorities in Ningbo, Wenzhou and Zhoushan cities released urgent notifications to announce the suspension of class for kindergartens, primary and middle schools and training institutions on Monday. 

Besides, many cities in Zhejiang such as Taizhou, Ningbo, Cixi and Xiangshan have suspended the operation of scenic spots and canceled tourism groups. 

Affected by Hinnamnor, a total of 27 passenger ferry lines in Ningbo city, Zhejiang, had been suspended as of 9 am on Saturday and all the passenger lines in the waters in the jurisdiction of Zhoushan had also suspended operations by Saturday afternoon. 

In Shanghai, over 50 vessels on international voyage through Waigaoqiao Port have canceled or changed their plans to enter or exit the port due to the effects caused by Hinnamnor, according to Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection. 

The Waigaoqiao Border Inspection Station has launched an emergency response plan for severe weather to assure the smooth operation of the port. 

Shanghai's metro authority also notified to get preparation for adjustments including measures of speed limit, operation suspension, shutdown of stations and evacuation in accordance with the influence of typhoon. 

In addition, Shanghai will suspend landscape lighting across the city on Sunday evening, the Shanghai Landscaping & City Appearance Administrative Bureau announced on Saturday. 

Global Times