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Typhoon Bebinca brings an unusual purple sky to Shanghai on September 15, 2024. Photo: VCG

Shanghai has evacuated residents, canceled flights and outdoor events, suspended subway lines in preparations for Typhoon Bebinca, which could become one of the strongest typhoons to hit the city since 1949.

The typhoon formed on Saturday night is expected to make landfall on early Monday between areas north of Qidong in East China's Jiangsu Province and south of Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang Province. 

Latest tracking suggests its chance to land in Shanghai is increasing, the Papers reported. The strongest typhoon landing in Shanghai was No.6 in 1949, the Gloria, at a speed of 40 meters per second. The severity of Bebinca could be close to Gloria, per the Papers. 

China Meteorological Administration elevated the typhoon alert from orange to red at 6pm Sunday. 

Chongming district in Shanghai ordered evacuation of 9,318 people on Saturday night and related work was finished Sunday. 

All flights departing or landing at either of Shanghai's two airports after 8pm Sunday have been canceled. Six subway lines and the fly-over sections of another nine subway lines will suspend operations on Monday.

Several highways connecting to Shanghai have imposed stricter speed restrictions on Sunday and some sections will be closed starting from 10pm on Sunday. 

Some trains operating on railways across the Yangtze River delta have been suspended on Sunday and Monday due to the severe weather conditions caused by the typhoon.

Airlines have suspended flights concerning other cities in the Yangtze Delta region due to Typhoon Bebinca. Airports in Hangzhou and Ningbo each saw more than 100 flights canceled for Sunday and Monday so far, media reported.

Outdoor sports and cultural events have been adjusted or canceled in preparation for the landing of Bebinca. 

The Shanghai Disney Resort will close early on Sunday, ending operation by 5pm rather than 8：30pm, and remain close on Monday. It plans to reopen on Tuesday, the final day of the Mid-Autumn Festival holidays.

Two flower parades of the Shanghai Tourism Festival scheduled on Sunday and Monday have also been canceled. 

An MXGP race event, also scheduled on Sunday and Monday, will be compressed into a single day on Sunday. A Global Times reporter at the event saw an emergency weather vehicle on standby.

The metropolis, home to approximately 25 million residents, has inspected its drainage system, deployed a 200-strong emergency task force, patrolled flood-relief infrastructure, and lowered river levels to 2.4 meters in preparation for heavy rains and inundation risks. Inspections have also been conducted on potential risk points, such as trees that may fall and objects that could drop from skyscrapers..  

The Global Times learned from multiple Shanghai residents in different districts that although strong winds or heavy rains have yet to come, they have received text messages and been advised by their residential compounds to remain indoors for safety. 

"I had planned to visit my friend in nearby Suzhou during the festivals, but considering the bad weather expected across the Yangtze Delta, I decided to stay home," a Shanghai resident surnamed Huang told the Global Times. Huang has stored food for three days in preparation for the typhoon. 

As this typhoon Bebinca coincides with astronomical tide, Yangtze River delta area could see waves up to 4.8 meters high inside the estuary and 7 meters high outside, according to the Shanghai Marine Monitoring Center. The Yangshan Port in Shanghai may see waves reaching 4.5 meters. A top-level alert for waves was issued on Sunday morning.

Local authorities have ordered all vessels in operation and passing by to return to port to avoid large swell and extreme winds. 

Neighboring cities in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces have also been preparing for the impact of Bebinca. Zhoushan in Zhejiang evacuated more than 9,000 workers from an industrial zone on Sunday.

From Sunday 8am to Monday 8am, there will be heavy to torrential rain in southern Jiangsu, northern Zhejiang, and Shanghai, with some areas experiencing extremely heavy rain (100-120 mm).

Coastal areas, including Shanghai, southeastern Jiangsu, Hangzhou Bay, the Yangtze River estuary, and the Zhoushan Islands, will see gusts reaching up to force 13, that is 37.0-41.4 meters per second. Near the center of Typhoon Bebinca, wind speeds may reach force 12-14.