After the devastating floods, a severe typhoon is on its way to China
August 17, 2021
forecasts indicate that the tropical storm will make landfall Sunday afternoon in the vicinity of Ningbo and Shanghai, two of the world’s largest coastal cities. In Shanghai, China’s largest city, the wind was blowing hard on Sunday morning, but the rain was still limited. All flights were suspended at the city’s two international airports, and dozens of trains were suspended and traffic was suspended in the ports of Shanghai and Ningbo. Some theme parks, such as Shanghai Disneyland, were closed, and residents were called to avoid outdoor activities. To the west in Henan Province, where unprecedented flooding this week killed at least 58 people, authorities continue to work to remove car bodies and debris from roads to reopen them. More than 495,000 people were evacuated, according to the Henan government, as the floods caused billions of dollars in damages.
The China Meteorological Agency expects the typhoon to ease over land, but it will bring heavy rains for days in eastern China, including in flooded areas. “Extreme caution must be exercised and disasters that may result from extreme rains must be prevented,” the Met Office said Sunday. China usually witnesses a rainy season, but record rains in Henan have raised doubts about the ability of Chinese cities to cope with these climatic phenomena, which experts expect will increase in frequency and intensity due to climate change.
Henan Province, like most parts of China, includes rivers, dams and reservoirs, many of which were erected decades ago in order to contain the flow of water and irrigate agricultural areas, but its construction dates back to decades, while the continuous urbanization of the city puts pressure on drainage systems.
