Over 460,000 evacuated in China's Guangdong as super typhoon Saola triggers emergency response

GUANGZHOU -- More than 460,000 people have been evacuated to safety in South China's Guangdong after the province raised its emergency response for typhoon and flood control to Level I at 6 pm Thursday.

As of Friday, primary schools, middle schools and kindergartens in 13 cities of the province have been asked to push back the start of the new semester to Sept 4 due to the approaching super typhoon Saola, according to the provincial flood, drought and typhoon control headquarters.

Nearly 85,000 fishery vessels in the province have returned to their harbors, and 82 coastal resorts have been temporarily closed.

As of 7 pm Thursday, approximately 64,000 rescue and repair personnel were placed on standby in seven cities across Guangdong to mitigate potential dangers posed by the typhoon.

According to the forecast of the meteorological, hydrological and marine departments, the super typhoon is expected to make landfall in or near the city of Shenzhen, Guangdong, on Friday night, causing severe rainstorms and gales from Friday afternoon.

The flood, drought and typhoon control headquarters in Shenzhen has ordered the suspension of construction, business operations and commercial activities from 4 pm and of public transportation from 7 pm. Schools have been suspended since Thursday afternoon in Shenzhen.

In the entire province, over 4,100 trains have come to a halt since 4 pm Thursday and 67 waterway passenger traffic routes have suspended their services as of 10 pm Thursday.

On Thursday, Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport canceled 60 flights, while another airport in the province, Huizhou Pingtan Airport, plans to cancel 21 flights on Friday.