Typhoon Bebinca, the most powerful storm to strike Shanghai since 1949, brought torrential rain and destructive winds to China's financial capital on Monday, flooding streets, knocking out power, and injuring at least one person.
The typhoon made landfall around 7:30 a.m. in the Pudong business district, with wind speeds reaching 151 kph (94 mph) near its center. Authorities had evacuated more than 414,000 people ahead of the storm's arrival, closed schools, and advised residents to remain indoors.
State media reported that an elderly man on Shanghai's Chongming Island was injured by a falling tree and taken to a hospital for treatment.
The storm's impact was felt across the city of 25 million people, which rarely experiences such powerful typhoons. Images broadcast by state media showed flooded roads in Pudong, while other parts of Shanghai saw uprooted trees and fallen branches littering streets and sidewalks.
As the typhoon's intensity diminished, emergency responders began clearing debris from affected areas. Authorities reported that winds had uprooted or damaged more than 10,000 trees, knocked out power to at least 380 households, and damaged four houses. At least 132 acres of farmland were inundated.
The storm's effects extended beyond Shanghai, with Typhoon Bebinca weakening as it moved inland, bringing heavy rainfall to parts of Jiangsu, Anhui, and Zhejiang provinces.
Transportation across the region was severely disrupted during China's three-day Mid-Autumn Festival. Shanghai's airports canceled more than 1,400 flights, while authorities in Hangzhou, approximately 106 miles southwest of Shanghai, canceled over 180 flights. Ferries and train services were also suspended in Shanghai and neighboring provinces.
Weather authorities anticipated that Shanghai and parts of adjacent provinces could receive up to 12 inches of rainfall between Monday and Wednesday.
The city mobilized more than 60,000 emergency responders and firefighters to assist in the aftermath of the typhoon.
Typhoon Bebinca's arrival follows closely on the heels of Typhoon Yagi, which recently caused significant destruction in Southeast Asia. Yagi resulted in at least 74 deaths in Myanmar, with dozens still missing. Four deaths were reported in China's Hainan island, while Thailand and the Philippines recorded at least 10 and 20 fatalities, respectively.
