China braces for Typhoon Saudel
Various precautionary measures have been taken in the coastal areas of eastern China to mitigate the potential impact of Typhoon Saudel, which is approaching the coasts of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces. According to the National Meteorological Centre (NMC), Saudel, the 18th typhoon of the year, is expected to make landfall in China between late Thursday evening and Friday morning. On Tuesday, the centre raised the typhoon warning level from yellow to orange, the second highest in its four‑tier system.
In Zhejiang Province, as of Wednesday morning, all 146 coastal water conservancy projects had been suspended, and 527 construction vessels had taken safe anchorage. By 14:00 on Wednesday, all 162 ferry routes across Zhejiang Province had been suspended. The Zhejiang Provincial Maritime Safety Administration issued more than 105,000 warnings, inspected 35,000 vessels and deployed eight high‑powered tugs for emergency response.
Since Tuesday evening, the maritime authorities of Ningbo and Zhoushan cities in Zhejiang Province have activated the second‑level typhoon emergency response. As of now, 2,358 fishing vessels have returned to ports in Xiangshan County, Ningbo, while more than 1,800 fishing boats have taken shelter in Zhoushan. In Ningbo, all ferry services have been suspended, all cargo vessels have stopped loading and unloading and have left berths in an orderly manner, and all workers on water projects have been evacuated to safe areas. "We have required all vessels at berth to secure their mooring lines properly. Given the tidal fluctuations of the Fenghua River, we must ensure that vessels remain securely moored when the tide rises or when water is released from upstream reservoirs," said Yu Huaihai, deputy director of the Yinfeng Maritime Safety Administration in Ningbo.
In Fujian Province, the provincial maritime safety administration is carrying out early warning and emergency response operations, directing vessels to safe areas. As of Wednesday noon, 57 ferry services and 110 passenger vessels along the Fujian coast had been suspended, 118 offshore construction projects had been halted, and 178 construction vessels had been evacuated. All towing operations, sea trials, scientific expeditions and wind farm maintenance work along the coast have also been halted.
The Guangdong Provincial Maritime Safety Administration in southern China issued a vessel traffic control notice on Monday and has since prohibited 38 vessels from continuing their northbound voyages. Authorities in eastern Guangdong have deployed two rescue vessels, 25 high‑powered tugs and 10 waste‑cleaning vessels in case of possible emergencies. On Tuesday, heavy rains battered central and southern parts of eastern China's Jiangxi Province, forcing local railway operators to raise their flood emergency response level to the third tier and adjust train schedules.
As CCTV+ reports, the early measures taken in eastern Chinese provinces ahead of Typhoon Saudel demonstrate the high level of preparedness of regional authorities for natural disasters. The coordinated actions of maritime rescuers, the evacuation of people and vessels, and the closure of dangerous routes help reduce risks to life and property. In the coming hours, the typhoon will reach the coast, and rescue services will continue to operate at full capacity.
