HANGZHOU/FUZHOU, July 8 (Xinhua) -- China's eastern coastal provinces stepped up emergency measures Wednesday as Typhoon Bavi, the ninth typhoon of the year, moves closer to the country.
Zhejiang, one of the provinces expected to be affected, activated an offshore typhoon emergency response.
The provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters urged coastal localities and relevant authorities to closely monitor the typhoon's development and make full preparations, including arranging shelter for key vessels, securing fishing boats in ports, suspending maritime routes and closing marine tourism sites.
In neighboring Fujian Province, strong winds and rough seas triggered by Bavi disrupted coastal transportation on Wednesday, prompting maritime authorities to suspend passenger ferry services and strengthen emergency preparedness.
As of 12 p.m, Wednesday, eight coastal passenger ferry routes and 22 passenger ferries had been suspended, according to the Fujian maritime bureau. Authorities also ordered all 110 marine construction projects underway along the coast to halt operations.
Fujian maritime bureau has activated a Level III emergency response for typhoons, carrying out safety inspections and continuing to issue warnings to shipping companies, marine construction operators and vessels in port.
According to Fang Qichao, director of the command center of the bureau, emergency response resources have been deployed in advance, including two large rescue vessels, four rescue helicopters and 48 patrol vessels, to ensure rapid response to potential emergencies.
According to the Zhejiang meteorological service, Typhoon Bavi was located over waters about 1,580 kilometers southeast of Keelung, Taiwan, at 8 a.m. on Wednesday.
The typhoon is forecast to move westward at a speed of around 15 to 20 kilometers per hour before gradually turning northwestward on Wednesday night. ■
