After being downgraded from a super typhoon last night, Typhoon Maria arrived on the Chinese mainland this morning. Originally anticipated to make landfall around noon today, Maria touched down north of Fuzhou, in Fujian province, at 9.10am.
The storm began last week in warm waters approximately 500 kilometers northwest of US territory of Guam. Maria later developed into a super typhoon, the equivalent of a strong category 4 or category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic basin, before it was downgraded yesterday.
While the storm did not hit Taiwan, instead traveling to the north of the island, it did bring torrential rains and strong winds, according Channel News Asia.
On the mainland, officials issued a number of warnings yesterday in anticipation of Typhoon Maria’s arrival – including China's first ‘red typhoon alert’ of the year.
According to Shine, fishing boats in Fujian province were ordered to return to port by noon yesterday, while all personnel at offshore fish farms were to be back on land by 6pm.
In Ningbo, Zhejiang province, ships were also recalled to port in anticipation of the storm, according to China Daily.
Also yesterday: Shanghai Railroad Bureau temporarily halted ticket sales to a number of cities, including Shenzhen, in Guangdong province.
To track Typhoon Maria’s path in real time, click here. That’s will continue to publish updates on the storm as we receive them.
With files from Molly Jett.
[Cover image via typhoon.zjwater.gov.cn]
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