Han Ximin

    ximhan@126.com

    THE weak typhoon Kujira will likely bring rain to Shenzhen until Thursday, offering a respite from the heat wave Shenzhen has faced over the past two weeks, weather forecast said yesterday.

    Kujira, the first typhoon of this year to hit China, made landfall in the coastal city of Wanning in Hainan Province at 6:50 p.m. yesterday, packing winds of up to 90 kilometers per hour, said the Hainan Meteorological Service.

    The island province has evacuated more than 40,000 people, and over 20,000 fishing boats in the province have been called back to harbor.

    All elementary and middle schools in the provincial capital of Haikou City will be closed today, according to the local government.

    The rainfall will be welcome for easing the most severe drought in Hainan since 1959. It has affected 30 percent of the tropical island.

    Hot and dry weather has dominated the region since May, as the weather department has given an orange drought alert, the second-most severe alert. Cities including the beach resort Sanya have had to open new deep wells for drinking water.

    Between July and September, around four or five typhoons will likely affect Shenzhen, including two that will have a direct impact on Shenzhen, according to the city’s meteorological observatory yesterday.