The Strongest Storm in 75 Years Disrupts Life in Shanghai

Tens of millions of people in Shanghai and across the populous eastern coast of China took refuge in their homes on Monday due to a severe storm. The storm 'Bebinka' reached Shanghai on Monday, September 16, causing significant disruptions across the metropolis with heavy rain and strong winds. According to the official Xinhua news agency, Bebinka is the strongest storm among 11 storms that have hit this important Chinese city in the past 75 years. Previously, the strongest storm in Shanghai was 'Gloria,' which occurred in 1949. Chinese state television reported that the storm 'Bebinka' has suspended train and ship operations in the area, canceled all flights at Shanghai's two main international airports, and closed highways. This tropical storm arrived in the metropolitan area, home to nearly 25 million people, with wind speeds of about 150 kilometers per hour. The municipal news organization stated that the storm caused 'significant damage throughout the city,' uprooting over 1,800 trees and leaving 30,000 households without electricity. Reports indicate that 414,000 people across the city have been evacuated to safer locations, and tens of thousands of emergency personnel are on standby. Officials said about 9,000 residents from the Chongming area, an island at the mouth of the Yangtze River, were also evacuated. Bebinka has also passed through Japan and central and southern Philippines, causing the deaths of six people due to falling trees in those areas. Chinese state television reported that Bebinka is expected to move northwest, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces in China. Last week, the storm 'Yagi,' the most severe storm of the year in Asia, caused widespread casualties and damage in southern China and Southeast Asian countries. The storm Yagi caused $1.6 billion in economic damage in Vietnam. In Myanmar, it led to deadly floods that the World Food Organization declared the worst in the recent history of the country. From Southeast Asia to Central Europe, floods and storms have displaced many people. The Yagi storm also affected Thailand and Laos, resulting in over 400 deaths in total. In Vietnam, this storm damaged factories, infrastructure, and agricultural land, leaving 292 dead and 38 missing. In Myanmar, 113 people died, and over 320,000 became homeless. The occurrence of severe and deadly storms at this time of year in Southeast Asia is not unprecedented. However, researchers say that climate change and global warming have increased the frequency and intensity of deadly storms. China is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world, which scientists say contributes to climate change and exacerbates natural disasters.