July 27, 2023
HONG KONG – Several high-speed trains between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Chinese mainland have been suspended as Super Typhoon Doksuri is forecast to make landfall in the coastal areas of eastern Guangdong province and southern Fujian province on Friday.
The Hong Kong Observatory raised the typhoon signal No 1 on Wednesday night after Doksuri came within 800 kilometers of the city. Doksuri is expected to become the strongest typhoon to make landfall in Fujian since 2017, and the most powerful typhoon to affect eastern Guangdong in nearly a decade, according to the National Meteorological Center.
Around 10 train lines between Xiamen in Fujian province, Shantou station, Chaoshan station and Shenzhen North station in Guangdong and Hong Kong West Kowloon Station are suspended on Thursday and Friday
As of 8 pm Wednesday, Doksuri was centered about 340 kilometers south of Gaoxiong. It was forecast to move northwest or north-northwest at about 12 kilometers per hour across the Luzon Strait, entering the northeastern part of the South China Sea, the HKO said.
Around 10 train lines between Xiamen in Fujian, Shantou station, Chaoshan station and Shenzhen North station in Guangdong and Hong Kong West Kowloon Station are suspended on Thursday and Friday.
The MTR announced all relevant tickets can be fully refunded via rail ticket booking system 12306 website, app or at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station within 30 days.
The fifth typhoon of this year will affect more than 150 train trips on July 27 and 28 in the mainland, especially those to Zhejiang and Fujian provinces, according to China Railway Guangzhou Group. Four trains from Beijing to Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong, have also been suspended.
Guangdong authorities have suspended or adjusted railway operations from Wednesday to Sunday. Passengers who have bought tickets for canceled routes will be notified of schedule changes but are still advised to check the latest information through the 12306 website before departure.
“Shenzhen Railway will closely monitor the situation after Super Typhoon Doksuri makes landfall. Subsequently, all necessary measures will be taken to resume train operations and adjust plans after the heavy rainfall,” said Li Zehua, director of the Shenzhen Station Safety Production Command Center.
Railway stations in Guangdong, including Shanwei Station, Chaoshan Station and Raoping Station, have prepared sandbags, water pumps, and other flood prevention materials, as well as emergency supplies.
Coastal and island tourism sites are temporarily closed in Shenzhen, including Dameisha Beach, Xichong Beach and Shenzhen Astronomical Observatory.
China’s national observatory on Wednesday issued a red alert for Doksuri, the most severe warning in its four-tier warning system, while the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters raised its emergency response for typhoons and flooding to Level III.
Doksuri is expected to enter the northeastern part of the South China Sea between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, and make landfall between Fuqing city in Fujian province and Huilai county in Guangdong province
Four teams have been sent to the provinces of Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, and Jiangxi to assist in local flood and typhoon prevention efforts, according to the headquarters.
China has a four-tier flood-control emergency response system, with Level I being the most urgent response.
Doksuri is expected to enter the northeastern part of the South China Sea between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, and make landfall between Fuqing city in Fujian province and Huilai county in Guangdong province, according to the headquarters.
The typhoon is forecast to travel deep inland and move northward, which could affect provincial regions such as Fujian, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Anhui, Shandong, Henan, Hebei, Tianjin and Beijing, the headquarters said, adding that the country faces a severe situation in coping with the typhoon and flooding.
All local governments are required make detailed emergency response plans, strengthen weak links related to geographical disasters, waterlogging and small reservoirs, call back ships from the sea, and evacuate residents from dangerous areas, according to the headquarters.
The Ministry of Emergency Management said it has optimized and coordinated emergency response forces across different regions, with over 4,000 personnel and five helicopters on standby.