Hainan Airlines cancels 4 flights from Beijing to Shanghai due to Typhoon Bolaven

Bolaven, this year’s 15th tropical storm, weakened from the highest level of super typhoon to the second highest of strong typhoon yesterday. It is heading north and expected to land in North Korea tomorrow morning, according to the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau.

More than 10,450 people in the Pudong New Area were evacuated as Bolaven approached and almost 12,000 trees in Hongkou and Pudong districts had been secured to prevent damage, the bureau said.

Winds strengthened a little in Shanghai’s urban areas at around 7pm when Bolaven was on the same latitude as the city, but its influence was limited and most parts of the city were unaffected.

The distance between Shanghai and Bolaven was never less than 400 kilometers, which meant most of the city avoided the strong gales and heavy rain it brought with it. The effect of the typhoon was felt more in coastal areas than in urban Shanghai.

High winds and gales were reported at adjacent Zhoushan, close to Shanghai’s Yangshan Deep-Water Port. Waves were as high as nine meters, maritime officials said. The Donghai Bridge, connecting Shanghai to the port, was closed yesterday afternoon.

More than 2,100 vessels and ships had been asked to take shelter in harbors, the maritime administration said.

Ferry services to the city’s three islands were shut and will remain closed today due to the weather.

Some downtown ferry services on the Huangpu River were also closed, city traffic administration officials said.

At least 134 flights were canceled at Shanghai’s Pudong and Hongqiao airports yesterday.

Most of China’s major air carriers had canceled their flights to and from Shanghai by midday. China Eastern and Shanghai Airlines canceled nine flights to and from Japan and South Korea. Flights connecting other Yangtze River Delta cities were also halted.

China Southern Airlines canceled all its 64 flights to and from Shanghai after 6pm.

The typhoon is expected to continue to have an effect on airports in Shanghai, Hangzhou and Ningbo and continue affecting flights to and from east China’s Shandong Province today, the Guangzhou-based airline said.

Juneyao Airlines suspended 14 flights and diverted five flights to land at Hongqiao instead of Pudong which was more severely impacted by the typhoon.

Hainan Airlines also canceled four flights between Shanghai and Beijing.

Shanghai’s weather should be mostly cloudy this week and the maximum high should stay around 32 degrees Celsius, according to forecasters. Today will be cloudy and some thundershowers are expected tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the 14th typhoon Tembin changed direction yesterday on the South China Sea and is expected to make its second landing in Taiwan before heading north toward Shanghai, according to the National Meteorological Center.