People watch huge waves pounding the shore in Yilan as Typhoon Haikui makes landfall in eastern Taiwan island on September 3, 2023. The typhoon has led to four injuries on the island, local media reported. Photo: VCG

Multiple trains have been canceled and some schools have been suspended as typhoon Haikui is predicted to make landfall along the southeast coast of China on Tuesday after sweeping across Taiwan island.

The National Meteorological Center (NMC) on Monday morning issued a yellow alert for typhoon and heavy rains, the third highest in its four-tier warning system. Haikui is likely to land in the coastal area between Zhangpu in East China's Fujian Province and Huilai in South China's Guangdong Province on Tuesday morning when travelling westward, the NMC said.

Affected by Haikui, heavy rainfalls will continue in regions including Guangdong, Fujian and Taiwan from Monday to Wednesday, the NMC said.

From Monday morning to Tuesday morning, there will be a storm surge of 30-70 centimeters along the eastern coast of Guangdong with 3-5-meter-high waves in the northeastern part of the South China Sea and 2-3.3-meter-high waves in the offshore waters of eastern Guangdong, according to the South China Sea Forecasting and Disaster Reduction Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The South China Sea Forecasting and Disaster Reduction Center issued a yellow alert for large waves and a storm surge on Monday morning, requiring relevant departments to assist fishing boats make necessary preparations. 

China Railway Guangdong Group said that a total of 391 high-speed trains will be cancelled from Monday afternoon onwards. These include services operating along the Hangzhou-Shenzhen line which runs along China's southeast coast from Zhejiang through Fujian to Guangdong, and through the Meizhou-Shantou Railway which operates across Guangdong Province. 

Some 47 passenger trains passing through the Hangzhou-Shenzhen line have been suspended from Monday, according to China Railway Shanghai Group.

The cities of Chaozhou and Shantou near the border line between Guangdong and Fujian have moved to suspend kindergarten, elementary, high school and tutoring institutions across the city from Monday. The restoration of off-line class will wait until the typhoon warning is revoked, according to local education authorities.

Neighboring province Fujian has also been on highest alert on Monday. According to China Central Television (CCTV), Fujian has relocated 114,400 people from dangerous areas, closed 160 scenic spots, 54 city parks and 3,156 construction sites. It also shut down a number of coastal port enterprises and waterway passenger transports. As of 5 pm, 17 flights have been canceled in Fuzhou Airport and 79 in Quanzhou Jinjiang Airport.

Xiamen, Quanzhou and Putian in Fujian have suspended all schools starting from 5 pm on Monday to Tuesday to ensure the safety of students and teachers.

Haikui barreled into the southeastern part of the Taiwan region on Sunday, causing more than 40 people injured and at least 732 reported incidents, the island's disaster response authority confirmed.

Global Times