Typhoon Saudel makes landfalls on China's eastern coast, disrupts travel

Typhoon Saudel made ‌two landfalls ​on China's eastern coast on Friday morning, as authorities evacuated people and halted ‌trains and ferries.

The typhoon made landfall at the city of Taizhou around 8:05 a.m. (0005 GMT) and the city of Wenzhou around ‌9:10 a.m. (0110 GMT), according to state media, marking the third ‌typhoon to strike the eastern province of Zhejiang this year. Saudel is set to bring heavy rain to Zhejiang and Fujian, a province on the southeast ⁠coast, ​with possibilities ⁠of local torrential downpours, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. As the typhoon moves inland, ⁠it could drench provincial-level regions including Hubei, Guangxi and Yunnan.

The Wenzhou ​government ordered the evacuation of more than 820,000 people, while ⁠Taizhou authorities suspended eight passenger ferry routes and identified 52,000 people needing evacuation, state ⁠broadcaster ​CCTV reported. Rail operator China Railway Shanghai Group temporarily suspended some services on several lines in Zhejiang from Thursday to ⁠Friday, according to CCTV.

Fujian launched an emergency response to the ⁠typhoon on Thursday, ⁠halting projects along the coast and closing 57 passenger ferry routes.