Shanghai activates emergency response as Typhoon Co-May lands

Shanghai emergency response forces have remained vigilant as Co-May, the eighth typhoon of this year, whipped eastern China with gales and heavy rain on Wednesday.

The center of Typhoon Co-May made second landfall on the coast of Fengxian District in southern suburban Shanghai at the tropical storm level at around 16:40 Wednesday, after it made landfall in Zhejiang Province in early Wednesday morning. At the time of the second landfall, the maximum wind speed near the center was 23 meters per second, accompanied by a central minimum pressure of 978 hectopascals.

The city has initiated a Level III emergency response for flood and typhoon control, the third-highest in the four-tier warning system.

According to the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, starting from Tuesday, all 4,628 construction sites citywide have halted operations, with 1,100 sites organizing the evacuation of workers.

As of 20:00 Tuesday, Fengxian District had transferred and resettled a total of 15,172 people, among whom 4,660 were placed in centralized resettlement, and 45 resettlement sites had been put into use.

In the neighboring Jinshan District, the Emergency Management Bureau coordinated with the local Fire and Rescue Department to put typhoon prevention measures in place and prepare for flood control emergency rescue efforts.

"Large drainage equipment, emergency mobile lighting, and other devices are being ensured to be in optimal condition, ready at all times to effectively respond to rescue operations," said Chu Jietao, a member of the management department at Shanghai's Jinshan District Emergency Management Bureau.

In addition, all docks at the city's offshore Yangshan deep water port have ceased operations entirely since 20:00 Tuesday. The port's maritime bureau is now actively checking the typhoon situation and conducting 24-hour real-time monitoring of sheltered vessels.

China Railway Shanghai Group initiated a Level II emergency response for typhoon and flood prevention on Tuesday, with adjusting transportation plans accordingly. On Wednesday, trains were required to operate at slower speeds along routes heavily impacted by the typhoon at specific times.

Shanghai activates emergency response as Typhoon Co-May lands

Iran said on Wednesday that 54 seafarers had been killed, 66 injured and seven remained missing in maritime incidents linked to the conflict in the Middle East and related maritime restrictions, according to figures presented at a meeting of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Addressing the 76th session of the IMO Technical Cooperation Committee, an Iranian representative said the incidents had affected a total of 360 vessels, including 253 that were sunk or otherwise totally destroyed.

The representative said the conflict and related maritime restrictions had severely affected ships, seafarers, port operations, search and rescue services, emergency response systems, vessel traffic services, communications facilities and maritime safety infrastructure.

According to the figures presented by Iran, 28 seafarers were taken hostage since the end of February, five of whom remain in captivity.

The representative also reported damage to four maritime operations buildings, four vessel traffic service control stations and eight communications relay units, describing them as critical facilities for safe navigation, emergency coordination and maritime traffic management.

In a document submitted to the committee on June 8, Iran said a U.S. measure entitled "U.S. to Blockade Ships Entering or Exiting Iranian Ports," together with related restrictions, had disrupted commercial shipping, port access, voyage planning, navigational safety and the movement of ships and seafarers.

According to a report from British maritime analytics firm Windward published on Wednesday, five Iran-trading liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers recently broke the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, with four delivering cargoes to India and one to Pakistan.

Since April 13, the U.S. has imposed a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz on all ships trying to enter or leave Iranian ports, aiming to exert pressure on the country.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on May 29 that the so-called U.S. naval blockade was unlawful from the start, and violated a ceasefire agreement and undermined the freedom of international navigation.

Iran reports 54 seafarer deaths, 253 vessels destroyed since conflict with US, Israel begins