Hundreds evacuated as Hainan waits for Sarika
Print Edition
CHINA’S southern island province of Hainan is gearing up to guard against Typhoon Sarika, which is expected to make landfall today.
Hundreds of fishermen and construction workers have been evacuated to safe shelters.
Authorities in the province held an emergency meeting on Sunday night to review precautionary measures.
Provincial meteorological bureau chief Cai Qinbo said that losses from the typhoon are expected to be “grave” as the tropical cyclone is projected to be the most powerful and destructive to land in Hainan in a decade.
According to the latest forecast, Typhoon Sarika, the 21st typhoon of the year, will enter southeast Hainan early today before landing between the cities of Qionghai and Sanya. The storm is expected to intensify into a super typhoon upon landing.
Yongxing Island to the south of Hainan Island will be the first to face the powerful cyclone.
Six safe shelters have been established on the island to accommodate the hundreds of fishermen and construction workers ordered to evacuate.
Classes have been suspended in kindergartens, middle and primary schools in eight counties of the province while tourist sites are closed to the public.
Residents and tourists have been warned against hiking or strolling along beaches.
Provincial authorities have also ordered safety checks of reservoirs, power and water supplies, while demanding the fishery and farming sectors take precautions.
High-speed trains connecting cities in Hainan were being suspended from late last night.
In nearby Guangdong Province, the fishery department called on all fishing boats around Hainan Island to moor.
At the island’s main civil airport, Meilan International Airport in the provincial capital of Haikou, five flights were canceled yesterday as airport staff made preparations for large-scale flight cancellations.
The typhoon which lashed the Philippines over the weekend is expected to hit Vietnam tomorrow, with northern provinces there on high alert.
Local forecasters said they expect Sarika to be the biggest storm of the season. Authorities said they may issue evacuation orders and a ban on ships going to sea.
Severe flooding in central Vietnam has killed at least 25 people and destroyed thousands of homes, officials said yesterday, as the country braced for further destruction with Sarika barrelling closer.
Images from flood-hit provinces showed houses almost completely submerged.
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