Intl desk: Hundreds more flights were canceled at Shanghai’s airports Monday as Tropical Storm Dolphin brought heavy rain to eastern China, triggering flooding in some areas after making landfall as a typhoon the previous day.
Shanghai’s Hongqiao and Pudong airports canceled more than 900 flights, accounting for about 40% of the scheduled flights, according to Shanghai Airport Group. The cancellations came a day after around 1,300 flights were scrapped, reports AP.
Shanghai also suspended operations on some metro lines, while China Railway Chengdu Group canceled 115 train services, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Authorities warned of possible severe flooding and landslides in several areas. State broadcaster CCTV reported that authorities in Yueqing, a city in Zhejiang province, were searching for people believed to be trapped inside flooded homes.
The China Meteorological Administration said Dolphin was moving northwest at 15 to 20 kilometers per hour (9 to 12 mph) and was expected to gradually weaken.
Dolphin made landfall Sunday evening in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, with winds reaching 151 kph (93 mph), after bringing heavy rainfall to northern Taiwan over the weekend.
The storm prompted at least 760,000 people to relocate as a precaution, including more than 390,000 in Taizhou. Authorities evacuated more than 210,000 people in Shanghai and 160,000 in Fujian province from areas considered at greater risk.
In Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang, authorities temporarily closed the city’s famous West Lake scenic areas, along with temples, parks and museums. They were scheduled to reopen Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Chan-hom was moving toward Japan’s Pacific coast. The storm had winds of 83 kph (51 mph) Monday morning and was expected to strengthen slightly before making landfall between Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Storm intensifies monsoon rains in the Philippines
Although Dolphin did not make a direct hit on the Philippines, it strengthened seasonal monsoon rains that triggered flooding and landslides across the northern island region of Luzon.
A landslide buried three houses Sunday night in Baguio, a mountain resort city in northern Luzon, killing 10 people. Rescuers recovered the victims’ bodies after two days of intensive search operations. Three other people were rescued with injuries and taken to a hospital, Baguio officials said.
The deaths increased the toll from nearly a week of torrential rains, flooding and a tropical storm in northern Luzon to 19, according to the government’s Office of Civil Defense.
More than 1 million people have been affected by the heavy monsoon rains and flooding, including about 98,000 who were forced to leave their homes.
