Flights, ferries cancelled in Shanghai and Shenzhen as Typhoon Saudel closes in

The coastal Chinese province of Zhejiang is battening down for the approach of Typhoon Saudel, with flights cancelled across the area.

The eastern province is home to a number of major commercial centres, including the industrial hub of Ningbo, the port city of Zhoushan, and Wenzhou.

Ningbo Lishe International Airport said flights in and out of the facility would be suspended from 11.30pm on Thursday. In Wenzhou, 90 flights were cancelled, while 22 flights were grounded in Zhoushan.

According to the National Meteorological Centre, Saudel is expected to make landfall along the coast between Sanmen county in eastern Zhejiang and Xiapu in southeastern Fujian province between early Friday morning and noon as a typhoon or severe typhoon.

If Saudel hits Zhejiang directly, it will be the third to make landfall there this year, equalling the province’s 2004 record of three typhoon landfalls in a single year.

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Powerful Typhoon Dolphin makes landfall in eastern China

The province took direct hits from Typhoon Bavi in July and Typhoon Dolphin earlier this month, both of which brought fierce winds and torrential rain to the region.