BEIJING - Typhoon Haikui — the 11th typhoon to hit the Chinese coast this year — struck Fujian and Guangdong provinces with a rage on Tuesday, forcing the suspension of all passenger trains in and out of Fuzhou city, Fujian on Wednesday.

All primary and secondary schools and kindergartens were also suspended on Wednesday.

Government departments in Fuzhou urged residents and tourists to stay indoors unless it's absolutely necessary to go out

Government departments in Fuzhou urged residents and tourists to stay indoors unless it's absolutely necessary to go out.

According to China Railway Nanchang Group, suspended passenger train services include hundreds operating from Fuzhou Railway Station and Fuzhou South Railway Station. They were suspended to ensure passenger safety after Fuzhou issued a red typhoon alert on Tuesday night — the highest level of a four-tier warning system.

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Passengers can get refunds for their tickets within a month, or wait until services resume, the railway authority said.

Fuzhou, Putian and other coastal cities have been battered by heavy rains and strong winds since Tuesday, when the typhoon made landfall twice in southern Fujian and eastern Guangdong.

Over 36,000 evacuate

In Fuzhou, capital of East China's Fujian province, more than 36,000 people have been temporarily evacuated as Typhoon Haikui brought heavy rainstorms, authorities said Wednesday.

As of 7 am Wednesday, torrential rains had inflicted damage to 147 townships of the city, leading to a direct economic loss of over 552 million yuan (about $76.7 million), according to the city's flood control and drought relief headquarters.

Multiple areas of the city experienced heavy rainstorms starting from 9 pm Tuesday, with cumulative precipitation from 9 pm Tuesday to 5 am Wednesday breaking three-hour and six-hour maximum rainfall records of the Wushan national weather station.

In Putian, large areas of flooding were reported in multiple areas, with many residents stranded after the city had experienced heavy downpours on Tuesday night, the local fire and rescue department said.

As of 8 am on Wednesday, rescue personnel in Putian had evacuated and relocated 185 people after receiving 53 call for rescue from residents.

This photo taken on Sept 5, 2023 shows fishing boats taking shelter from Typhoon Haikui at a port in Raoping County of Chaozhou city, south China's Guangdong province. (PHOTO / AP)

Yellow alert

China's National Meteorological Center (NMC) on Friday evening renewed a yellow alert for rainstorms.

China's National Meteorological Center has advised local governments to prepare for rainstorms. Traffic management departments should take appropriate traffic control measures on sections of roads experiencing heavy rainfall, and guide traffic on waterlogged sections

From 8 pm Friday to 8 pm Saturday, heavy downpours and rainstorms are forecast in Fujian, Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao and Yunnan, according to the NMC.

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Parts of these regions are expected to experience heavy rainfall, with maximum hourly precipitation surpassing 60 millimeters, accompanied by thunderstorms and gales.

The center has advised local governments to prepare for rainstorms. Traffic management departments should take appropriate traffic control measures on sections of roads experiencing heavy rainfall, and guide traffic on waterlogged sections.

The center has also suggested that at-risk outdoor power supplies should be disconnected and outdoor operations in open areas should be suspended.

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China has a four-tier weather-warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. 

With Xinhua inputs