Typhoon Muifa 2011

As the system steered towards mainland China, PRC authorities have begun ordering fishing boats back to shore. The residents of Shanghai were also warned strictly about the system as it was expected to be as strong as Typhoon Matsa of 2005. In order to prevent any railway accident during the storm, the Shanghai railway authorities have set up a team to inspect high-speed railway facilities. The Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) issued a circular on August 4, ordering civil affairs agencies in the municipality of Shanghai and the provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi and Shandong to carry out disaster relief operations, preventing as many causalities as possible. An Orange alert, the second highest in the four-level sea wave alert system, was issued on the East China Sea as the destructive system neared land. On August 5, the Port of Ningbo, one of the most important and busiest ports nationwide, was partially shut down in fear of the Typhoon. On that day, PRC officials have declared that the system is the strongest in the year to directly impact the nation as it passes Taiwan maintaining Typhoon strength. As a result, PRC Officials suspended several oil, dry bulk and container ports. Millions of people living along the coast were ordered to stay indoors and several 100s of flights were cancelled as the Typhoon was expected to be the worst to affect China's commercial centre since 2005. Initially, Landfall was expected over the Zhejiang Province on Saturday, August 6, 2011. The storm was expected to bring rainfall to more than ten provinces over an area of 1 million square kilometers.
On August 6, as the typhoon came closer, some 206,000 people were evacuated from low lying areas to safer places. It was reported that some 140 more flights would be cancelled and the typhoon was no longer expected to directly impact the nation. The Meteorological Agency announced that heavy rain and strong winds would affect the nation for three continuous days, starting August 7. Some 11,000 rescue workers in 120 teams have been mobilized to carefully respond to the event and protect as many people as possible. Later, the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center issued a red alert, the highest alert in the four-level high wave warning system, as the system was sweeping across the East China Sea maintaining Typhoon strength. Oceanic waves as high as 9 to 11 meters were expected throughout east china sea. Shanghai railway authorities have established an emergency response plan, according to which, if Muifa's winds are less than that of 62 km/h in Shanghai, the subway would be manually operated with a low speed. If the winds are greater than that of 89 km/h, the trains would be cancelled. Both the airports in Shanghai were shut down and all outdoor events were also called off or delayed indefinitely. As the system got closer and closer to land, The Shanghai government urged residents to stay indoors with all the medical kits and emergency supplements available. A message from the Federal government of the United States to the Americans living in China said "stock up on emergency supplies of food, water, and cash in case of storm-related power outages."
As the system merely skipped Shanghai, causing no more than disruption, the residents of Qingdao started their preparations for the system. Albeit weak, the storm's heavy surf battered Qingdao's waterfront leaving the beaches closed. As reported on August 9, some 1.35 million people were evacuated, as the system approached its final landfall in northern China.