BEIJING : As Typhoon Ku-Mai barrelled into China’s eastern coast, Shanghai was placed on high alert with the Central Weather Observatory upgrading its rainstorm warning level from yellow to orange—the second-highest tier. Winds reached speeds of 83 km/h, grounding about a third of all flights—over 640—at the city’s two major international airports.

State media CCTV reported that 282,800 residents had been relocated to safety since Tuesday night, with more than 1,900 temporary shelters activated across the city to accommodate evacuees.

The storm’s impact rippled through Shanghai’s infrastructure. Ferry services were suspended, speed restrictions enforced on highways, and select metro and rail services saw delays. Despite the severe weather, popular attractions such as Legoland Shanghai and Disneyland remained open.

Live footage showed massive waves submerging coastal docks, adding to public concern after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula earlier in the day. China briefly issued a tsunami warning for parts of its eastern coast before withdrawing it.

Ku-Mai, which had weakened to a tropical storm after skimming past the Philippines, regained strength over the South China Sea before hitting China.

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