Typhoon In-fa ( Fabian ) approaches China after flooding havoc

The approach of Typhoon In-Fa follows deadly floods that wrought chaos in central China

By Edward Era Barbacena

China is bracing for a major typhoon just days after deadly floods devastated parts of the country.

Typhoon In-Fa is expected to make landfall along the east coast near Shanghai on Sunday, forecasters say.

Flights and train services have been suspended, while people have been ordered to stay indoors.

Disruptive winds, rough seas and flooding are expected. Meanwhile, dozens of ships have been evacuated from a busy port south of Shanghai.

The typhoon follows a period of historic flooding that caused widespread damage and killed at least 58 people in central China.

Emergency crew are still working around the clock to rescue survivors and provide aid to the tens of millions of people affected by the floods.

Typhoon In-Fa could bring more torrential downpours to the stricken region in the coming days, and officials fear it could hamper rescue and recovery efforts.

The storm is currently moving away from Taiwan with maximum gusts of about 92 mph (148 km/h), according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

In its latest update, the forecaster said the typhoon was not expected to strengthen significantly before it collides with eastern China.

After it makes landfall, flash flooding, mudslides and gusts of up to 120 mph are possible along the east coast, forecasters have warned.

And from Sunday, the typhoon will bring "long periods of extremely heavy rainfall", China's National Meteorological Center said.

It added that coastal areas "should guard against the combined impact of wind, rain and tides".

Authorities in Zhejiang province have ordered schools, markets and businesses to close, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

In Shanghai - China's biggest city - some public parks and museums have been shut.

This week's flooding in central China has raised questions about preparations for extreme weather events in the country's major cities.

Many factors contribute to extreme weather, but experts say climate change caused by a warming atmosphere makes these events more likely.

As China braces for Typhoon In-Fa, another tropical storm in the region is threatening to bring heavy downpours and strong winds to the Tokyo Olympics in Japan next week.

Source: BBC