Typhoon Muifa lashes eastern China, forcing 1.6 million people from their homes and grounding flights

Muifa is the strongest tropical cyclone to hit Shanghai since record-keeping began in 1949 and comes after Typhoon Hinnamnor hit the region last week

With winds of up to 125km/h, the storm brings heavy rainfall, floods in Yangtze River Delta region, giant waves in Hangzhou Bay and a reported landslide

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A man walks in Shanghai as Typhoon Muifa loomed on Wednesday. Shanghai grounded all flights from Pudong and Hongqiao airports, halted port operations, closed subway stations and limited speed for ground trains. Ningbo, Taizhou, and Zhoushan city were ordered to suspend classes for the day. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 12:53pm, 15 Sep 2022Updated: 1:07pm, 15 Sep 2022

High winds and heavy rain lashed China’s densely populated east coast on Thursday, after Typhoon Muifa forced around 1.6 million people to leave their homes and grounded most flights at Shanghai’s main airports.

Muifa is the strongest tropical cyclone to hit Shanghai – home to more than 25 million people – since record-keeping began in 1949, state broadcaster CCTV said.

However, there were no immediate reports of deaths or casualties.

At least 426,000 people were evacuated in Shanghai and a further 1.2 million people were taken to temporary shelters in neighbouring Zhejiang province, CCTV added.

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Heavy rainfall led to traffic traffic jams and floods in several areas of the Yangtze River Delta region, a major global manufacturing hub.