HANGZHOU/FUZHOU, July 10 (Xinhua) -- East China's Zhejiang and Fujian provinces have raised their typhoon emergency responses to Level II on Friday, as this year's 9th typhoon Bavi edges closer to the country's southeastern coast, with forecasts showing it is likely to make landfall in the border area between the two provinces.
As of 11 a.m., Bavi was tracking over the sea about 1,016 km southeast of Wenzhou city in Zhejiang, packing typhoon-level winds near its center, according to the Zhejiang Meteorological Observatory.
Zhejiang authorities have rolled out a raft of preemptive measures to minimize casualties and property losses. Over 9,300 geological surveyors, rescue workers, and mapping specialists, along with 243 sets of large emergency equipment, have been deployed to frontline areas. A total of 75,000 relief supplies have been allocated across the province.
Neighboring Fujian also upgraded its typhoon alert to Level II at 4:30 p.m. after Bavi entered the province's tropical cyclone warning zone. The provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters has ordered local authorities to closely monitor Bavi's movement, adjust response measures in a timely manner, and arrange the evacuation of people in high-risk areas in a resolute and orderly manner to ensure public safety.
As of 7 p.m. Friday, authorities in Ningde, where the typhoon may make landfall, have relocated 3,713 people living in high-risk onshore areas, including those prone to geological disasters and flash floods, as well as in low-lying areas and dilapidated old houses.
Meanwhile, as of Friday noon, all 20,446 working personnel and 1,217 non-working personnel on aquaculture rafts off Fujian Province have been evacuated to shore, according to the office of the Fujian Provincial Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters. In addition, all 60,123 township vessels have returned to harbors.
As of 6 p.m. On Thursday, authorities in Fujian Province placed 2,132 fire and rescue personnel and 17,866 local emergency rescue team members on standby, and mobilized 157 social emergency teams involving 7,822 personnel.
Guangdong Province in southern China and Anhui Province in eastern China both activated Level-IV emergency response for the typhoon on Friday.
The response also forced the planned closure of some scenic sites in Anhui, including the renowned Mount Huangshan scenic area, to visitors over the coming weekend.
China has a four-tier typhoon emergency response system, with Level I representing the highest level of severity. ■
