All flights grounded in Shanghai as China prepares for typhoon; Singapore Airlines affected

SHANGHAI: All flights at Shanghai’s two main airports were cancelled on Sunday (Sep 15) as authorities in the Chinese megacity prepared for a strong typhoon bringing high winds and heavy rain.
Typhoon Bebinca is expected to make landfall along a swath of China’s densely populated eastern seaboard between Sunday night and Monday morning, according to Beijing’s emergency management ministry.
State broadcaster CCTV reported that all flights at Shanghai’s two main airports would be cancelled from 8pm local time on Sunday because of the storm.
“Affected by Typhoon Bebinca, the traffic capacity of Shanghai’s Pudong and Hongqiao airports has decreased today,” CCTV said.
“Flight adjustments at the two main airports will be promptly released to the public in accordance with the impact of the typhoon,” it said.
In an advisory posted on its website, Singapore Airlines (SIA) said four flights to and from Shanghai Pudong Airport on Sunday and Monday have been cancelled due to weather conditions caused by the storm.
The flights are:
Two earlier SIA flights to and from Shanghai on Sunday were also re-timed. 
“SIA will be contacting all affected customers to inform them of the flight cancellations,” said the national carrier.
“Affected customers will be re-accommodated on alternative flights, or can seek a full refund of the unused portion of their ticket.”
SIA added that as the situation remains fluid, other flights between Singapore and China may be affected due to the storm. Passengers are advised to check their flight status on the airline’s website for the latest information.
According to Singapore’s Changi Airport website on Sunday evening, five other carriers, including China Eastern Airlines and Spring Airlines, scrapped flights to Shanghai.
In response to CNA’s queries on Sunday, Changi Airport Group said that 11 flights to Shanghai between Sunday and Monday are affected.
“We understand that respective airlines have informed affected passengers on alternative arrangements. For further details on passenger assistance, kindly check with the airlines.”
The Shanghai railway station has also suspended some services to ensure passenger safety, and the Shenzhen government said trains to and from Shanghai will be halted.
Resorts in Shanghai, including Shanghai Disney Resort, Jinjiang Amusement Park and Shanghai Wild Animal Park, have been temporarily closed while most ferries have been halted to and from Chongming Island – China’s third-biggest island known as “the gateway to the Yangtze River”.
In Zhejiang, ships have been recalled, while several parks in the provincial capital Hangzhou announced closures.
China’s emergency management ministry said in a statement on Saturday that Bebinca would cause “heavy to torrential” downpours with “local heavy or extremely heavy rainstorms” between Sunday and Tuesday.
Officials held a meeting on Saturday to “research and deploy flood and typhoon control work in key areas”, it said.
Bebinca’s expected landfall will come during the Mid-Autumn Festival public holiday.
China’s railway operator is expecting passengers to take 74 million trips during the holiday, state news agency Xinhua reported on Saturday.
The emergency management ministry said officials must “pay close attention to the development of the typhoon”, adding that “many people will be travelling, mobility will be high and safety risks will be prominent”.
The water resources ministry launched on Saturday a level-four emergency response – the lowest in a tiered system – for flooding in Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui, according to Xinhua.
The weather office issued orange typhoon warnings – the second-highest in a four-tier system – for several districts in Shanghai and areas of nearby provinces on Sunday.
It advised that people refrain from gathering in large numbers, boats return to port and rickety structures be strengthened against high winds.
Shanghai municipal authorities urged residents on Sunday to “strengthen efforts to guard against harmful effects of the typhoon on high-altitude work, transportation, infrastructure and agriculture”.
Passenger shipping lines were also scheduled to be suspended in Shanghai from Sunday, according to an official statement on the social media account of the municipal port and shipping development centre.
China is the world’s biggest emitter of the greenhouse gases that scientists say are driving climate change and making extreme weather more frequent and intense.
Another typhoon, Yagi, killed at least four people and injured 95 when it passed through China’s southern Hainan island this month, according to national weather authorities.
Bebinca passed through Japan’s Amami island overnight, carrying gusts of up to 198kmh, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, warning of an increased risk of landslides due to heavy rain.
The storm also slammed into the central and southern Philippines on Friday.
Philippine officials said on Sunday that falling trees had killed six people as the tropical storm brought strong winds and floods.