Zhejiang raises typhoon alert level
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-08-05 20:55

The meteorological bureau of east China's Zhejiang Province has raised its typhoon alert level from orange to red status, as Typhoon Matsa charges toward coastal cities, according to sources with the bureau Friday.

The bureau forecast that in the coming six hours, the winds scale will rise from the 10th to 12th degree in areas as Wenzhou, Taizhou, Ningbo,Zhoushan, eastern Lishui, Jinhua and Shaoxing.

Hangzhou and Jiaxing will suffer heavy winds measured at the eighth and tenth degree. Seven cities including Wenzhou, Taizhou, Ningbo, Zhoushan, Lishui, Jinhua and Shaoxing will also see more rainfalls.

According to an emergency notice issued by the provincial meteorological bureau, at 5 p.m. Friday, Matsa, the 9th typhoon this year, was centered in the oceans at about 240 kilometers southeast of Wenling or 26.8 degree north latitude, 123 degree east longitude with winds at a speed of 45 meters per second near the center, and it was moving northwest at about 15 kilometers perhour.

Affected by the upcoming "Matsa", the neighboring Shanghai municipality has suffered strong winds, with part of its water transport cancelled. Pudong and Hongqiao, the two airports of Shanghai, are still in normal operation.