Zhang Yang

    nicolezyyy@163.com

    SHENZHEN’S meteorological observatory upgraded the alert level for Typhoon Nida from orange to red at 5 p.m. yesterday, the most severe alert on its five-color scale. It’s the first time the city has issued a red alert for a typhoon in its recorded history.

    Nida is predicted to land in the coastal areas of Guangdong as a typhoon or super-typhoon between early morning and noon today, hitting the mouth of Pearl River Delta directly.

    In the next 24 hours, Shenzhen will be affected by heavy to severe rainstorms and strong winds, according to the observatory, with the force of wind in some areas reaching 10 to 12. The rain will ease Thursday after Nida is gone, but there will still be some thunder showers.

    The city government activated a Grade-1 emergency response for the typhoon at 5 p.m. yesterday.

    All work, production and classes will be suspended during the response period. Except for rescue personnel, people have been told to stay indoors.

    City departments have been ordered to take measures to ensure minimum disruption to communication, water and power supplies, and have been told to provide medical care and food after the typhoon makes landfall.

    Residents are advised to stay indoors and reinforce doors and windows. Those who live by the seashore, in dangerous buildings or temporary sheds should evacuate to safety zones.

    The typhoon is expected to accumulate 150 to 200 millimeters of rainfall from last night to daytime today. The rainfall in Futian, Luohu, Nanshan, Longgang and Bao’an districts and Longhua New Area is expected to reach 250 to 300 millimeters, according to the observatory’s Weibo posts.

    All long-distance passenger trains at Shenzhen Railway Station and Shenzhen East Railway Station are suspended today. All trains on Xiamen-Shenzhen High-speed Railway and 80 pairs of passenger trains between Guangzhou and Shenzhen are also suspended, according to the city’s railway department.

    Passengers who have purchased tickets for the suspended trains can get a full refund within 30 days at any railway station nationwide. Those who have booked train tickets online can get a refund on the ticket-booking website www.12306.cn.

    All ferry services and some bus services are suspended. Fishing ships near the Shekou port have returned to the port for shelter. All 74 ships docked at Shenzhen’s three main ports have been evacuated to safety zones.

    A total of 140 flights at the Shenzhen International Airport were canceled as of 4 p.m. yesterday. All flights scheduled to depart or land at the airport between midnight and 12 p.m. today are canceled.

    Employees should be allowed to have a later start at work and get off work early, or take the day off, today depending on their working situations. Employers should take necessary measures to ensure the safety of on-duty workers, according to the authorities.

    The convention and exhibition center, farm product markets, coastal parks and scenic spots are all shut down, with visitors evacuating to safety zones. There are 400 emergency shelters well-stocked with food and clothing located at welfare centers, schools and community offices open to the public.

    Guangzhou also activated a close-down of schools, factories and enterprises at 2 p.m. yesterday. Zhuhai has evacuated visitors from seashores, according to the Tencent news website.

    The 1,946 personnel working on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge construction project were evacuated yesterday morning while 2,193 workers at an offshore oil platform were relocated Sunday evening, according to Guangdong Maritime Safety Administration.

    All passenger ships, tourist boats, and ferry services at Guangzhou Port have been suspended.