ANKARA
Typhoon Co-May, the eighth tropical storm to hit China this year, made landfall in the eastern province of Zhejiang on early Wednesday, according to Chinese officials.
The typhoon, with the maximum wind force near its center reaching 23 meters per second, churned ashore at Zhoushan City of Zhejiang, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported citing the Zhejiang provincial meteorological observatory statement.
In anticipation of the storm’s impact, Zhejiang authorities elevated the emergency response level from IV to III at 3:00 pm local time on Tuesday (0700 GMT).
China operates a four-tier emergency response system for natural disasters, with Level I representing the highest state of alert.
On Tuesday, at least 30 people have died in China’s capital as heavy rainfall pounded Beijing, causing widespread flooding, infrastructure damage and mass evacuations, with President Xi Jinping urging all-out efforts to ensure safety of lives and property.
Thousands of residents and tourists have been evacuated from Jizhou district in northern China's Tianjin municipality after the most severe flash flood in 70 years struck the region, inundating 13 villages and triggering a top-level emergency response.
As of Tuesday, around 10,527 residents have been evacuated to seven emergency shelters.
*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid
