As of 6 a.m. on September 15, Typhoon Bebinca – the 13th typhoon this year in Japan – was located about 230 kilometers from Amami City and was moving northwest at a speed of about 25 kilometers per hour, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Kyodo News reported that the storm had winds of up to 180km/h and was expected to weaken to a tropical storm by September 16.
Expected path of typhoon Bebinca. Photo: Kyodo News
As it moved closer to Japan overnight on September 14, the typhoon brought strong winds and high waves that were warned to be as high as 8 meters in Amami, 7 meters around southern Kyushu and 6 meters in Okinawa. Local officials urged people in the Amami area to be on guard for waves, landslides, flooding in low-lying areas and rising rivers.
In the 24 hours up to noon on September 15, rainfall is expected to reach 150mm in Amami and southern Kyushu and 100mm in Okinawa, according to NHK.
Previously, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said that as of 2:00 p.m. on September 14, typhoon Bebinca was located about 840km southeast of Zhejiang province.
The storm is forecast to move northwest at a speed of about 30km/h and will make landfall along the coast from Zhejiang to Jiangsu from the night of September 15 to the morning of September 16, then gradually weaken.
The CMA also noted that there are still some uncertainties regarding the storm's intensity and timing of landfall.
According to the agency, the storm is most likely to make landfall in Ningbo city (Zhejiang province) and Shanghai (located between Zhejiang and Jiangsu), with landfall intensity at typhoon or strong typhoon level.
In response to Typhoon Bebinca, China's Ministry of Water Resources issued a level 4 emergency response (the lightest level on a 4-level scale) for flooding in Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui on September 14, Xinhua News Agency reported.
Heavy rains from Typhoon Bebinca will hit southeastern parts of China, with water levels of some medium and small rivers in the region expected to exceed warning levels, the Ministry of Water Resources said.
The Ministry of Water Resources emphasized flood prevention in small and medium-sized rivers as well as flash floods in mountains in affected areas to ensure the safety of people's lives and properties.
Storms with an intensity of hurricane or above or super typhoon level will cause serious impacts.
Typhoon Yagi, the 11th typhoon to hit China this year, has caused serious impacts. Yagi formed in the northwest Pacific Ocean on September 1 and weakened to a tropical depression on September 8.
From September 2, Yagi made landfall on Luzon Island in the Philippines, Wenchang City in Hainan Province, Xuwen County in Guangdong Province of China, and Quang Ninh and Hai Phong provinces in Vietnam.
Typhoon Yagi made landfall on the east coast of Luzon Island in the Philippines with winds of 72 km/h; made landfall on the coast of Wenchang City, Hainan Province as a super typhoon with winds of 223 km/h; and entered Jiaowei Township, Xuwen County, Guangdong Province with winds of 208 km/h, before moving into the Gulf of Tonkin.
Storm Yagi made landfall on the southern coast of Quang Ninh province, Vietnam at around 3:30 p.m. on September 7 with winds of 208 km/h, level 17, then gradually weakened.
Based on meteorological data from 1949 to 2023, typhoons making landfall in China during the Mid-Autumn Festival are not uncommon, with the proportion of strong tropical storms and typhoons totaling nearly 80%.
Typhoon Bebinca will make landfall further north than previous autumn storms that have hit China.
Shanghai will face strong winds and heavy rain during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, which starts from September 15 to 17. Total rainfall is expected to be 60-90mm, with some areas receiving up to 120-180mm.
Due to the impact of the typhoon, all passenger train services in Shanghai were suspended from noon on September 15. Several airlines have canceled some flights to and from Shanghai.
The city's power supplier, Shanghai State Grid Company, is scrambling to prepare for supply and maintenance work.
Minh Hoa (reported by Tuoi Tre and Lao Dong)
Comment (0)