• Shanghai hit by strongest typhoon in 75 years
• Typhoon Bebinca made landfall on the eastern coast on Monday
• Thousands have been evacuated, flights grounded, and red alert issued

Shanghai Hit by Strongest Typhoon in 75 Years

Shanghai has been struck by its most powerful typhoon in over seven decades. Typhoon Bebinca made landfall at 7:30 a.m. local time on Monday (23:30 GMT Sunday) in Lingang New City, on the eastern coast of Shanghai, according to the China Meteorological Administration.

Thousands of residents in the Shanghai area have been evacuated. All flights at the city’s two main airports were grounded, and a red alert, the highest warning level, was issued. Winds in the typhoon’s eye reached speeds of 151 km/h (94 mph).

This is the strongest storm to hit Shanghai in 75 years. Direct hits from powerful typhoons are rare for the city, as they usually land further south along China’s coastline.

Shanghai’s 25 million residents have been told to stay indoors. Train services have been cancelled, highways closed, and a citywide 40 km/h (25 mph) speed limit has been enforced. By Sunday evening, more than 400,000 people had already been relocated as a precaution. An additional 9,000 residents from Chongming District, located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, were also evacuated.