China’s coastal regions on high alert as Typhoon Saudel cancels flights, ferries

Typhoon Saudel is bearing down on the coastal province of Zhejiang, triggering the cancellation of flights and ferry services throughout the region. Zhejiang, home to industrial hubs and major ports, is bracing for the storm's impact, which officials warn could be severe.

Ningbo Lishe International Airport will ground all incoming and outgoing flights starting at 11:30 PM Thursday. Wenzhou also saw 90 flights grounded, while Zhoushan saw 22 flights cancelled. The National Meteorological Centre predicts Saudel will make landfall between early Friday morning and noon, either as a typhoon or severe typhoon, along the coast between Sanmen county in eastern Zhejiang and Xiapu in southeastern Fujian.

If Saudel makes direct landfall in Zhejiang, it will be the third such event this year, matching the province's record set in 2004. Saudel will also be the seventh typhoon to hit the Chinese mainland this year, and the seventh to strike the Chinese mainland this year.

Zhejiang is under an orange alert, the second-highest level in China's weather warning system. The province has already experienced Typhoon Bavi in July and Typhoon Dolphin earlier this month, both of which brought heavy rain and powerful winds.

Transport services have also been disrupted. Shanghai Ferry Company suspended all passenger ferry routes, and nearly 20 high-speed trains from Shenzhen to Nanjing, Xiamen, Shanghai, and Hangzhou were cancelled. Additional high-speed train services within Zhejiang and Fujian provinces have been halted. Major ports, including Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, the world's busiest by cargo tonnage, have ramped up safety measures, moving nearly 800 commercial vessels to shelters and halting all passenger ferry services.

Governments across affected areas have issued emergency response updates. In Wenzhou, the response level was raised to Level 2, the second-highest in China's four-tier emergency response system. Outdoor activities, classes, work, business operations, and public transport have been halted. Scenic spots and tourist attractions have also been closed to the public.