Wang Jingli

wangjingli0715@163.com

SHENZHEN Meteorological Observatory upgraded the alert level for Typhoon Ma-on from blue to yellow yesterday noon.

The yellow alert is the third-highest level in its five-tiered typhoon warning system.

All of the city’s public parks, Shenzhen Museum and Shenzhen Library were closed yesterday. Greenways across the city were also closed, according to the urban management authority yesterday afternoon. Shekou Cruise Home Port also suspended service.

All scheduled flights from 3 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport are suspended, according to the airport.

The city’s flood control headquarters and emergency management department also raised the level of emergency response from level IV to III yesterday.

Typhoon Ma-on is expected to make landfall in an area between Taishan and Wuchuan in Guangdong between this morning and noon. It was 360 kilometers from Shenzhen at 4 p.m. yesterday and was moving towards the western coastal areas of Guangdong.

The biggest rainfall and strongest winds were forecast to strike the city today and will abate tomorrow. Maximum wind gusts in some areas might reach level 12, the observatory said.

The observatory will provide typhoon and disaster warning updates directly to superintendents at 5,927 construction sites and 494 places with flammable and explosive substances to ensure safety.

The public is warned to stay vigilant, properly stow away items at outdoor areas, stay away from large outdoor billboards, and keep themselves updated with the latest weather report.

During the typhoon, citizens can go to the city’s indoor emergency shelters to avoid danger should the need arise.