Vulnerable eastern China areas evacuated ahead of typhoon

Vulnerable coastal areas are being evacuated before a typhoon brings heavy rains to eastern China late Monday while much of the country is still recovering from unusually summer heavy flooding.

Typhoon Hagupit had gusts of up to 90 kilometres (56 miles) per hour at its centre in the morning and was moving northwest at 25 kilometres (16 miles) per hour.

China’s National Meteorological Center said Hagupit is expected to come ashore between Zhejiang and Fujian provinces. Shanghai is expected to feel the effects.

In Fujian, coastal fisheries were evacuated, tourist spots were closed and construction sites ordered to suspend operations. Fishing boats were ordered to avoid seas expected to be impacted by the typhoon.

This year's typhoon season has been relatively mild in China so far, although flooding since June along its major river systems has caused scores of deaths, forced around 2 million people to be evacuated and caused more than 49 billion yuan ($7 billion) in direct damages.

(Photo credit: AP)