Typhoon Bebinca shuts down Shanghai, first major storm in 70 years

Shanghai experienced severe disruptions Monday morning as Typhoon Bebinca struck, marking the most powerful storm to directly hit the city in over 70 years. The financial hub, with a population of 25 million, came to a standstill as flights, trains, and highways were suspended during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday.

Making landfall around 7:30 am local time, Typhoon Bebinca, classified as a Category 1 hurricane, brought wind speeds of up to 130 kilometres per hour (80 mph). The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre reported that this storm is the strongest to impact Shanghai since 1949.

The China Meteorological Administration issued a red typhoon warning, its highest alert level, due to gale-force winds and heavy rainfall affecting large parts of eastern China. This alert led to heightened safety measures across the region.

The timing of the storm exacerbated travel disruptions during the Mid-Autumn Festival, with all flights at Shanghai’s two major international airports grounded since 8 pm Sunday.

Most train and ferry services were also halted, and several highways and bridges were closed to mitigate damage from the typhoon's high winds and torrential rains.