Typhoon Nida causes widespread disruptions in China

BEIJING: Typhoon Nida made landfall in China today causing major traffic disruptions and flight cancellations in the Pearl river Delta region.

The typhoon hit China's coast around 3:35 am today at the Dapeng Peninsula in the city of Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The strong typhoon packing winds up to 151.2 km per hour is moving northwest at 25 km per hour, and is expected to sweep across the cities of Shenzhen, Dongguan, Guangzhou, Foshan and Zhaoqing to Guangdong's neighboring Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, according to Guangdong provincial weather authorities.

All flights from Shenzhen and Zhuhai were cancelled today morning as were most services from Guangzhou's airport, local media reports said.

Hundreds of trains to and from Pearl River Delta cities have also been delayed.

The intercity line between Guangzhou and Zhuhai halted operations while all services connecting Guangzhou and Haikou will be suspended, the China News Service reported.

Shenzhen Bay port will be closed and it is not known when it will reopen, Hong Kong based the South China Morning Post reported.

China's State Oceanic Administration (SOA) yesterday issued the a red alert for ocean waves and storm tides as Typhoon Nida approaches the mainland.

From yesterday night to today, sea waves as high as 11 meters are expected in the northern South China Sea, while the southern Taiwan Strait will witness waves as high as seven meters.

The SOA also issued a red alert storm tides and estimated that the sea level off the Pearl River estuary will rise up to 220 cm.