Typhoon Wipha lands in east China

Typhoon Wipha, packing winds of 45 mt per second landed in Cangnan County, Wenzhou of east China's Zhejiang Province early on Wednesday, drenching the booming eastern coastal region with heavy rains.

Over two million people in east China have been relocated before the landfall of Wipha, which might be the most destructive typhoon in a decade.

East China, including the commercial hub of Shanghai, is on alert, media reports said.

Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao on Tuesday ordered the related provinces and cities to step up preparations against the typhoon, recall vessels to harbour and relocate people to safer places.

"Super typhoon" Wipha was downgraded to a severe typhoon on Tuesday evening with wind speeds at its centre reducing from 198 kmph to 180 kmph, the Fujian meteorological bureau said.

It has churned up winds of up to 90 kmph in the coast of Zhejiang.

The province has received an average 31.8 mm of rain since Monday evening, with the maximum rainfall measuring 162 mm in some cities, it said.

The downpours have filled some rivers and reservoirs in south-eastern areas of the province to their warning marks.

By Tuesday evening, over two million people in Shanghai, Fujian and Zhejiang provinces had been evacuated, Xinhua news agency reported.

Shanghai issued a "super typhoon" warning on Tuesday and more than 291,000 people in the city have been relocated.

Deputy chief of the Shanghai flood control headquarters Zhang Jiayi said the city with a population of 19 million, is facing its most severe test in decades.

Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou and a few other cities have ordered the closure of all kindergartens and middle schools.

The Pinghu oil rig, situated some 400 km south-west of Shanghai on the East China Sea, is expected to bear the brunt of the typhoon and its 365 staff members have been evacuated in boats and helicopters.

In Zhejiang alone, 1.59 million people have been relocated, the largest mass relocation of the province since 1949, and 39,394 vessels had returned to harbour by 9 pm on Tuesday.

Fujian province on China's southeastern coast has recalled 250,000 people from sea and Fujian has sent out 1.41 million text messages to warn the public of the upcoming typhoon, the local flood control headquarters said.

The Central Meteorological Administration has initiated a 'Level One' emergency plan, the highest level of alert.

The Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief has issued a 'Level Two' flood control emergency response plan and has sent four teams to the four coastal provinces expected to be hit by Wipha.

Caption: People walk in downpour triggered by typhoon Wipha in Shanghai on Tuesday.

Photograph: Getty Images