Fishing boats docking at a port in Zhoushan, East China’s Zhejiang Province, on July 30, 2023 to take shelter from the approaching Typhoon Khanun. Photo: IC

The severe tropical storm Khanun evolved into a typhoon around 2 pm on Sunday with its sustained wind speed near center reaching 35 meters per second. It is expected to track northwestward on Monday as it gradually approaches the coastal area of East China’s Zhejiang Province while further gaining strength. 

According to Zhang Juan, weather analyst from weather.com.cn, as the sixth typhoon of this year, Khanun has been slowly intensifying with its cloud system presenting a symmetric structure and its eye gradually become clear and well-defined, weather.com.cn reported on Sunday. 

As it proceeds, it will further gain strength due to multiple factors such as relatively higher sea temperature. 

It is most likely for Khanun to make landfall in the coastal areas of Zhejiang between Wednesday afternoon and night with strong intensity, or make landfall as a strong typhoon or a super typhoon. 

According to China Central Television (CCTV), Khanun was located in the sea about 1,606 kilometers away from Ningbo city in Zhejiang around 2 pm on Sunday. It was moving northwestward at the speed of 25 kilometers per hour. 

According to the dynamics and development trend of the typhoon, the Ningbo Maritime Safety Administration decided that the coastal area of Ningbo entered the Level-III emergency response against typhon since 3 pm on Sunday. 

As of 2 pm on Sunday, 11 ferry transportation lines of the total 29 lines in the waters in Ningbo had been suspended, 24 coastal projects had also been suspended and 429 construction vessels have taken safety measures to avoid the wind and storm. 

In response to the impact of Khanun, China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has deployed preventive work against the severe tropical storm which is gathering momentum and is expected to make landfall on the coastal area in Zhejiang and have a serious impact on agricultural production with strong winds and heavy rains. 

Besides, Hong Kong Airlines announced on Sunday to cancel two flights between Hong Kong and Okinawa in Japan on Monday due to the impact of Khanun, according to Hong Kong Commercial Daily. 

Meanwhile, Starlux Airlines also canceled flights between Taipei in Taiwan Island and Okinawa on Tuesday and adjusted the departure time for multiple flights between the two places on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, Taiwan-based United Daily News reported on Sunday. 

The National Meteorological Center (NMC) issued on Saturday the highest-level red alert for rainstorms expected to hit the Chinese capital city Beijing and its surrounding regions on Sunday and Monday due to residual circulation of Typhoon Doksuri, the fifth typhoon of this year. 

Global Times