All flights at Shanghai's two main airports were cancelled on Sunday as authorities in the Chinese metropolis braced for a powerful typhoon that would bring strong winds and heavy rain.

CHINA-WEATHER-TYPHOON — Fishing vessels take shelter at the port of Zhoushan in eastern China's Zhejiang province as Typhoon Bebinka approaches on September 15, 2024. Photo: China OUT/AFP.

Typhoon Bebinca is expected to hit densely populated parts of China's east coast between Sunday evening and Monday morning, Beijing's emergency management ministry said.

State broadcaster CCTV said all flights at Shanghai's two main airports would be cancelled from 8pm on Sunday (1200 GMT) due to the storm.

“Due to Typhoon Bebinca, the capacity of Shanghai's Pudong and Hongqiao airports was reduced today,” CCTV reported.

“Information regarding changes to flight schedules at two major airports will be immediately communicated to the public in connection with the impact of the typhoon,” the statement said.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations said on Saturday that “heavy and torrential” rainfall with “local heavy or extremely heavy showers” would occur in Bebinka between Sunday and Tuesday.

Officials held a meeting on Saturday to “research and deploy flood and typhoon control work in key areas,” the statement said.

shanghai pudong airport — Shanghai Pudong Airport. Photo: Flickr/Kent Wang.

Bebinka is expected to make landfall during the national Mid-Autumn Festival.

China's railway operator expects 74 million trips during the holiday, state news agency Xinhua reported on Saturday.

The Ministry of Emergency Management said officials should “pay close attention to the typhoon's development,” adding that “many people will be traveling, mobility will be high, and safety risks will be significant.”

The Ministry of Water Resources on Saturday raised its emergency response to level four, the lowest in a multi-tiered system, over floods in Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui, Xinhua reported.

The meteorological bureau on Sunday issued an orange typhoon warning – the second-highest in a four-level system – for several parts of Shanghai and areas in nearby provinces.

It recommended avoiding large gatherings of people, returning boats to port and strengthening precarious structures in case of strong winds.

On Sunday, Shanghai's municipal government called on residents to “step up efforts to protect against the typhoon's harmful impact on high-rise work, transportation, infrastructure and agriculture.”

Shanghai, China, skyline — Shanghai skyline. Photo: Daniel Cukier/Flickr.

According to an official statement on the social media of the Shanghai Municipal Port and Shipping Development Center, passenger shipping lines in Shanghai are also scheduled to be suspended from Sunday.

Path of Destruction

China is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, which scientists say contribute to climate change and make extreme weather events more frequent and intense.

Another typhoon, Yagi, killed at least four people and injured 95 others this month when it passed through China's southern Hainan Island, according to national weather agencies.

Hurricane Bebinca blew through Japan's Amami island overnight with gusts of up to 198 kilometres (123 miles) per hour, Japan's meteorological agency said, warning of an increased risk of landslides due to heavy rain.

The storm also made landfall in the central and southern Philippines on Friday.

Philippine officials said Sunday that six people were killed by falling trees and a tropical storm brought strong winds and flooding.