Typhoon Rumbia makes landfall in Shanghai; 53,000 evacuated

SHANGHAI - Typhoon Rumbia made landfall in the Chinese financial hub of Shanghai early on Friday (Aug 17) morning, bringing strong winds and rain, state news agency Xinhua said.

Shanghai had evacuated 53,000 people in preparation for the typhoon, the state news agency reported.

The storm, the 18th typhoon to affect China this year, landed just after 4 am, Xinhua said. It is expected to gradually lose strength as it keeps moving inland in a north-west direction.

Summer is China's typhoon season, although casualties have been minimised in recent years by early government planning and evacuations from potential danger zones.