China’s third largest city closes due to approaching typhoon. Hundreds of flights have been cancelled.
China is preparing for a super typhoon to make landfall.
The tropical cyclone named “Saola” is predicted to land on the coast of southern China on Friday evening or Saturday morning local time.
In Shenzhen, China’s third largest city, all normal business has been suspended. About 17 million inhabitants live in the city. Traffic has also been suspended and hundreds of flights have been canceled in the nearby city of Hong Kong.
Shenzhen authorities are urging residents to stay at home and say they are opening all available shelters. All schools in the area are also closed. More than 100,000 people have been evacuated ahead of the storm in Guangdong and Fujian provinces.
Typhoon Saola’s winds can reach speeds of over 200 kilometers per hour as it moves toward the coast of Hong Kong’s eastern Guangdong province.
It could be one of the five strongest typhoons to hit Guangdong since 1949, Chinese officials said Thursday, issuing the highest typhoon warning.