Typhoon Muifa: Port stalled in East China, schools also ordered to be closed; What is the reason after all?

Authorities in China's eastern province of Zhejiang have ordered ships to return to port. It has also asked schools to close and tourists to be evacuated from nearby islands as one of the most powerful storms this year is set to hit Wednesday.

the storm intensified on Tuesday

Typhoon Muifa intensified on Tuesday as it moved towards the twin port cities of Ningbo and Zhoushan, which share the ranking of China's second-busiest port in terms of cargo. State media reported that China's 12th cyclone of the year is expected to make landfall between the cities of Wenling and Zhoushan, bringing torrential rains to the eastern and southern coastal areas.

Waves can rise to five meters

The official Xinhua news agency said it included the commercial center of Shanghai, north of Ningbo and Zhoushan. Waves of up to 5 meters (16 feet) are expected near Shanghai, China's busiest container port.

Shanghai International Shipping Institute said Shanghai would suspend some operations at its port, including the Yangshan terminal and others, from Tuesday evening and halt all operations on Wednesday morning.

25 flights canceled from Shanghai

China Southern Airlines said it canceled 25 flights to Shanghai airports on Tuesday and plans to cancel 11 more flights on Wednesday. State television said about 13,000 people had been evacuated from islands and tourist sites near Zhongshan.

Commercial ships sought refuge

About 7,400 commercial ships sought refuge in the ports of Zhejiang, including Zhoushan, Ningbo, and Taizhou, while passenger ship routes across the province were suspended, state media said. The total population of the three cities and Shanghai is 42.26 million.

Zhejiang government issued orders

The Zhejiang government ordered all fishing vessels to return to the docks before noon. Ningbo, Zhoushan, and Taizhou ordered schools to be suspended on Wednesday. Flight data platform Variflight told Reuters that all flights at the airports in Ningbo and Zhoushan have been canceled for Wednesday.

The storm will move north-west

Meteorological officials said the center of Muifa was about 490 km (304.5 mi) southeast of Jiangshan's Zhejiang city. The Central Meteorological Administration said that after hitting land, the storm will move northwest and weaken gradually.

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