Super typhoon Chan-hom batters Chinese coast

World Today

A woman holding an umbrella looks at high waves generated by Typhoon Chan-hom at a beach in the southeastern port city of Busan on July 12, 2015. Domestic flights were cancelled in South Korea on July 12, as Typhoon Chan-hom brought strong winds and heavy rainfall to southwestern provinces.

Typhoon Chan-hom battered the Chinese coast south of Shanghai with strong winds and heavy rainfall, submerging roads, felling trees, and forcing the evacuation of more than a million people. It then weakened into a tropical storm as it pushed toward the Korean Peninsula, where some South Korean flights were canceled due to strong winds and rain. 

After killing one person and injuring dozens in Zhejiang Province, super typhoon Chan-hom moved northwards to Shandong Province on Sunday.

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In Shandong, a yellow alert was issued as strong winds and heavy rain hit the province’s coastal areas. That is the third-highest alert level in China’s four-tier weather warning system.

The local meteorological center said that winds on land and sea reached up to 60 miles an hour (96 kilometers per hour), while many areas have witnessed heavy rains. Some cities have experienced more than three inches (80 millimeters) of rainfall.

Chan-hom wreaked havoc on the Chinese Coast

Chan-hom wreaked havoc on the Chinese and South Korean Coast. At least three inches of rain was reported.

Many fishing boats and passenger ships were recalled to port ahead of the storm hitting the region. On Zhifu Island alone, more than 500 fishing boats returned to ports to take shelter.

Direct economic losses caused by Chan-hom in Zhejiang are estimated at 5.86 billion yuan ($940 million), according to the provincial flood control and drought prevention headquarters.

Source: AP