Shanghai slammed by Typhoon Bebinca, strongest storm to hit in seven decades

Shanghai was brought to a standstill on Monday morning by what authorities say was the strongest typhoon to directly hit the Chinese financial hub in more than seven decades, with flights, trains and highways suspended during a national holiday.

Typhoon Bebinca made landfall in an industrial suburb southeast of the metropolis of 25 million people around 7:30 a.m. local time. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) said it packed top wind speeds of 130 kilometers per hour (80 mph), the equivalent of a Category 1 Atlantic hurricane.

The storm is the strongest to make landfall in Shanghai since 1949, according to Chinese state media.

The China Meteorological Administration on Monday issued a red typhoon warning, its most severe alert, warning of gale force winds and heavy rainfall in large swathes of eastern China.

The powerful storm has disrupted travel plans for holidaymakers during the Mid-Autumn festival, or Moon Festival, a three-day national holiday that started on Sunday.

All flights at Shanghai’s two international airports have been canceled since 8 p.m. Sunday. Most train and ferry services were suspended, while some highways and bridges in the city were closed.

Many tourist destinations in the city, including Shanghai Disney Resort, were also shut on Monday.