Shanghai comes to a halt, lashed by strongest storm in 75 years

Tens of millions shelter indoors as typhoon disrupts transport, causes significant damage

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Tens of millions of people in Shanghai and across China's densely populated east coast hunkered indoors on Sept 16, as the strongest typhoon to hit since 1949 swept in, downing trees and disrupting transport across the region.

Typhoon Bebinca the fiercest storm to hit the megacity since Typhoon Gloria 75 years ago - landed early in the morning of Sept 16, with wind speeds of around 150kmh.

The municipal news service said the typhoon caused "significant damage across the city", felling more than 1,800 trees and leaving 30,000 households without electricity.

It said 414,000 people were evacuated to safer locations, and tens of thousands of emergency personnel were on hand to be deployed when necessary.

Some 1,400 flights from Shanghai's two airports and more than 570 passenger trains had been cancelled since Sept 15, disrupting the travel plans of millions on the move during the Mid-Autumn Festival, a three-day public holiday in China.

Some flights from Shanghai to Singapore on Sept 16 were also affected. Ms Diana Tan, CTC Travel's head of human resources and public relations, told The Straits Times that her agency has arranged for an additional night's stay in Shanghai for about 50 travellers, as their return date has been postponed to Sept 17.