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China braces for typhoon Morakot
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-08-07 05:54

China braces for typhoon Morakot

Fishing vessels are seen in the Shenjiamen Port to avoid typhoon in Zhoushan city, east China's Zhejiang province, Aug. 6, 2009. [Xinhua]
Morakot, which strengthened into typhoon Wednesday afternoon, is also expected to whip up gales in Shanghai from Saturday to Monday. Meteorological stations in the city have cautioned relevant departments to brace for emergencies.

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Experts in Guangdong province say although the typhoon won't land there its impact could be great. Bilis, a 2006 typhoon landed in Fujian but tens of thousands of people in Guangdong were affected.

The experts considered Morakot might have a big influence in the eastern part of Guangdong, and soak the province in torrential rains.

The eighth tropical storm this year, Morakot was formed on the heels of Goni, which unleashed downpours in Guangdong destroying 732 houses.

"The two storms could influence each other," said Wang Zhenming, vice head of the Zhejiang provincial meteorological station. "As a result, the route of Morakot is not fully predictable."

He warned Morakot was likely to continue growing in strength and become a super typhoon.

China is frequently affected by tropical storms in summer. The most destructive one recently occurred in 2006, when super typhoon Saomai claimed more than 400 lives.