Taiwan has suspended air, rail and ferry services and halted classes and outdoor events, with workers urged to stay at home as the island prepares for the arrival of Typhoon Haikui.
The storm’s approach comes as Typhoon Saola continues to weaken while moving along the Chinese coast, where 900,000 people and 80,000 fishing vessels had been moved to safety and most of Hong Kong and parts of the coastal mainland closed down businesses, transport and schools.
Damage appeared to be minimal, however, and restrictions had largely been lifted by Sunday.
Parts of Taiwan have already been feeling the effects of Haikui’s heavy rain and high winds, and dozens of domestic flights were cancelled, along with air services to Hong Kong and Macao.
The storm has maximum sustained winds of 85mph, with gusts up to 107mph, according to the island’s meteorological bureau.
Among events cancelled was a hot air balloon festival in the central Taichung region, several outdoor concerts, arts events and a baseball festival. National parks and treacherous roads in the island’s mountainous centre are also closed.
Haikui is expected to continue on towards China after crossing Taiwan, and authorities in the Chinese city of Shantou in Guangdong province are advising residents to take precautions.
Because of Saola, workers in a number of Chinese cities stayed at home and students saw the start of their school year postponed from Friday to Monday. Trading on Hong Kong’s stock market was suspended on Friday and hundreds of people were stranded at the airport after about 460 flights were cancelled.
In recent months, China has experienced some of its heaviest rains and deadliest flooding in years in various regions. Dozens of people have been killed, including in outlying mountainous parts of the capital, Beijing.
Hong Kong’s government said various departments received reports of a total of 1,206 uprooted trees and flooding was reported in 18 areas. It said 75 people visited hospitals with storm-related injuries.
