The Chinese government has issued a "Level Two" flood control emergency response plan demanding related provinces and cities to closely monitor this year's 16th typhoon, super typhoon "Krosa", and be well prepared for any emergencies.

 

The Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said in an urgent notice on Saturday afternoon that 138,000 people have been relocated in Zhejiang and Fujian provinces on the east coast, and 27,000 fishing boats have been recalled in the two provinces in preparation for the possible landfall of Krosa.

 

Meteorological departments are predicting Krosa will land on, or brush past, Fujian or Zhejiang provinces between midnight Sunday and Monday noon. Strong winds, rainstorms and high tides are expected to hit the coastal areas of Zhejiang, Fujian and Jiangsu provinces and Shanghai Municipality.

 

The headquarters demanded all related regions and departments to pay high attention to preparations for the possible landfall of Krosa, and make all possible efforts to avoid loss of life and property.

 

Krosa was approaching the Chinese mainland after slamming into Taiwan Saturday.

 

The governments of east China's Zhejiang and Fujian provinces have ordered all fishing vessels to return to harbor and tourists to safer places by Saturday.

 

Arrangements have been made to evacuate some 20,000 tourists who are still on Zhoushan islands off Zhejiang.

 

Local meteorological services said the typhoon was about 560 km off Wenling of Zhejiang at 8:00 am Saturday and has been heading northwestward at 15 km per hour.

 

The typhoon coincides with the ongoing seven-day National Day holiday from Oct.1 to 10 while flocks of tourists are visiting seaside resorts or surrounding islands in the two provinces.

 

All tours were called off in the coastal areas Friday and police sent out notice cards in docks and scenic sites to remind tourists to get prepared for Krosa.

 

More than 20,300 fishing boats were back to harbor by Friday evening in Zhejiang and 6,132 more are on their way to safer places, according to local authorities.

 

In Shanghai, where the ongoing Special Olympics stole media focus, the local government is drafting emergency plans for drainage of the competition venues to ensure smooth operation of the sports event.

 

Experts with the Zhejiang provincial meteorological station said the number of typhoons in October is small but their damages could be huge.

 

During the National Day holiday in 2005, typhoon "Longwang" ravaged east China, triggering flash floods and a landslide, which destroyed barracks with cadets inside, killing 85.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 6, 2007)