Typhoon Bebinca: Shanghai’s Strongest Storm in Over Seven Decades
In September 2024, Typhoon Bebinca struck Shanghai, leaving the city to confront one of its most devastating storms in recent history. This natural disaster has been described as the strongest typhoon to hit the city since 1949, with winds reaching up to 94 mph (151 kph). The typhoon brought torrential rains, powerful winds, and widespread destruction, severely disrupting daily life and halting economic activities across Shanghai and nearby provinces.
Formation and Arrival of Typhoon Bebinca
Typhoon Bebinca formed rapidly over the Pacific Ocean, gaining strength as it approached the Chinese mainland. By the time it made landfall in Shanghai on the morning of September 16, it had become a significant threat to the city and surrounding areas. The China Meteorological Administration recorded wind speeds of 151 kph near the typhoon’s eye at landfall, and authorities were quick to issue a red alert, their highest level of warning. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) classified it as a Category 1 hurricane equivalent, with maximum sustained winds of 130 kph (80 mph).
Shanghai, with its population of over 25 million, braced for the impact as the storm approached. Authorities took swift preventive measures, including evacuating more than 414,000 residents, many of whom were relocated to makeshift shelters in school gyms and exhibition centers. Flights were canceled, train services suspended, and ports and bridges closed, effectively bringing the city to a halt during the critical Mid-Autumn Festival holiday.
Impact on Shanghai
The typhoon’s arrival coincided with the Mid-Autumn Festival, a major national holiday in China, which further complicated the situation. Travel plans for holidaymakers were disrupted as airlines canceled flights and ferry services were suspended. Shanghai’s two major airports, Pudong International and Hongqiao International, were significantly affected, with flights grounded from Sunday evening into Monday. The storm also wreaked havoc on transportation in nearby regions such as Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Anhui provinces, where additional flights and trains were canceled.
The effects of the typhoon were felt far and wide. In Shanghai’s Pudong district, which houses many of the city’s financial and industrial centers, winds knocked down power lines, leading to widespread power outages. Residents reported feeling the vibrations of their buildings as the winds howled through the city. The situation was exacerbated by heavy rains, which led to significant urban flooding.
In preparation for the storm, Shanghai’s Yangshan Port, a critical international shipping hub, evacuated all foreign container ships. Authorities closed expressways to non-essential traffic, and deliveries of essential goods were disrupted, as companies suspended services amid the dangerous weather conditions. Shanghai Disneyland was among many tourist attractions forced to close, with park employees taking extra measures to secure outdoor equipment.
Emergency Response and Evacuations
The local and national governments mobilized quickly in response to Typhoon Bebinca. More than 60,000 emergency personnel, including firefighters and rescue teams, were deployed to affected areas. The Ministry of Emergency Management coordinated large-scale evacuations, with over 414,000 residents moved to safer locations before the storm made landfall. In addition to human resources, authorities brought in drones, helicopters, and specialized equipment to manage rescue operations and assess damage.
Shanghai’s well-organized flood control system was put to the test, as thousands of emergency response teams prepared for the worst. According to reports, 2,500 emergency teams and 56,000 rescuers were on standby, while 415 flood control warehouses across the city were fully stocked with essential materials to combat the storm’s aftermath. The storm caused water and power shortages in some areas, and although no casualties were immediately reported in the city, the scale of damage to infrastructure was substantial.
Regional Impact and Broader Consequences
While Shanghai bore the brunt of the storm, neighboring provinces also experienced severe weather conditions. Zhejiang and Jiangsu, both in the direct path of the typhoon, implemented similar precautionary measures. In Hangzhou, approximately 180 flights were canceled, and expressways were closed to prevent accidents during the storm. Heavy rainfall and wind speeds as high as 151 kph were recorded in these areas, causing damage to homes, roads, and farmland.
As Typhoon Bebinca moved inland, it weakened slightly but still posed a serious threat to millions across eastern China. The Ministry of Emergency Management had mobilized thousands of engineering rescue personnel to assist in recovery efforts, and the central government issued warnings about potential flooding and landslides as the storm continued its trajectory.
Conclusion
Typhoon Bebinca left a significant mark on Shanghai and its surrounding regions, challenging the city’s disaster preparedness systems and testing the resilience of its people. With winds of nearly 100 mph and heavy rainfall, the storm disrupted a crucial national holiday, displacing hundreds of thousands and causing widespread damage. While the human cost was mitigated by rapid emergency response and evacuations, the economic impact of the storm is expected to be far-reaching, particularly as the city works to repair its damaged infrastructure and restore normalcy
Typhoon Bebinca will likely be remembered as a pivotal moment in Shanghai’s long history of battling natural disasters, underscoring the growing challenges posed by extreme weather in an era of climate change.
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