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Shanghai braced for Typhoon Wipha Mass exodus as China storm looms
(40 minutes later)
Some 200,000 people are being evacuated from China's financial hub, Shanghai, as a powerful typhoon barrels towards the country's east coast. More than 1.6 million people have been evacuated from China's financial hub, Shanghai, and neighbouring areas as powerful Typhoon Wipha looms closer.
Residents from the city's exposed areas were being moved to temporary shelters ahead of the arrival of Typhoon Wipha. Experts said the storm, expected to make landfall by early Wednesday, could be the worst to hit China in a decade.
Forecasters said the storm, expected to make landfall by early Wednesday, could be the worst to hit in a decade. Heavy rains forced schools to shut and grounded flights, and flooding brought central Shanghai to a standstill.
Rains and winds from Wipha have hit north Taiwan, forcing schools and offices to shut and grounding flights. The Shanghai Stock Exchange may close if "emergency measures" were necessary, state media reported.
Map of the typhoon's projected path Map of the typhoon's projected path
One man was reported killed when scaffolding collapsed at a construction site in the capital, Taipei. North Taiwan was earlier lashed by the edge of the typhoon. One man was reported killed and another seriously hurt when scaffolding collapsed at a building site in the capital, Taipei.
Gaining strengthGaining strength
Experts said the typhoon, which was gaining strength as it approached, could bring up to 200mm of rain and winds of more than 150km/h. China's National Meteorological Centre has described the storm as a "super typhoon".
Experts said that Wipha - a woman's name in Thai - was gaining strength as it approached and could bring up to 200mm of rain and winds of more than 200km/h (120mph).
Typhoon animated guide In pictures: Typhoon loomsTyphoon animated guide In pictures: Typhoon looms
"This is the first time in 10 years that the eye of the storm will probably make landfall in Shanghai," said Ding Ruoyang, a meteorologist at the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau. By late on Tuesday, more than 1.6 million people had been moved from their homes in Shanghai and the nearby provinces of Fujian and Zhejiang, Xinhua news agency reported.
He said that residents in vulnerable areas or structures were being evacuated. "Wipha will hit our province head on and the areas affected would be the most economically developed and densely populated," Zhejiang provincial government said.
"The evacuation includes residents who live in old and dangerous houses, workers who live in temporary construction site structures, as well as workers living near the shore," he added. A meteorologist at the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau, Ding Ruoyang, said that residents in vulnerable areas or structures were being relocated.
By Tuesday afternoon, the city was covered in cloud and rain had been falling steadily overnight, the BBC's Quentin Sommerville in Shanghai said. "The evacuation includes residents who live in old and dangerous houses, workers who live in temporary construction site structures, as well as workers living near the shore."
But the streets remained busy and schools and offices are still operating. State TV showed waves of up to 10m (36ft) pounding eastern shores, and it reported that boats and ships had been ordered to return to port and ferry services suspended.
More than 160,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in nearby Fujian province. Flood control officials in Zhejiang province urged residents to be on alert for flash flooding and landslides, as rivers and reservoirs reached warning levels.
Flood control officials further north in Zhejiang province have urged residents to prepare for evacuations, check reservoirs and be on alert for flash flooding and landslides.
State television showed huge waves pounding eastern shores, and it reported that boats and ships have been ordered to return to port and ferry services suspended.
The deadliest storm to hit the coast of China in recent years was Typhoon Winnie in 1997, which killed 236 people.The deadliest storm to hit the coast of China in recent years was Typhoon Winnie in 1997, which killed 236 people.
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Are you in the area affected by Typhoon Wipha? Are you preparing to evacuate? Do you have friends or relatives in the region? Send us your comments and experiences.Are you in the area affected by Typhoon Wipha? Are you preparing to evacuate? Do you have friends or relatives in the region? Send us your comments and experiences.
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