Coastal China braces for Typhoon Dujuan

WENZHOU, Sept. 28  -- Flights have been canceled and residents evacuated as China's southeast prepares for the arrival of Super Typhoon Dujuan.

Dujuan, the 21st typhoon of the year, is forecast to land on the coast of Fujian Province before noon on Tuesday after reaching Taiwan on Monday night, according to a statement issued by the National Meteorological Center on Monday afternoon.

The center renewed a red alert for the typhoon on Monday afternoon.

China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe weather, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

In Fujian, Xiamen Airlines canceled flights to and from Taiwan on Monday. Airports in the cities of Xiamen, Quanzhou and the provincial capital Fuzhou have canceled all flights on Tuesday.

All 32,090 fishing boats offshore in the province have returned to harbor and around 160,000 people, including aquatic farm workers and fishing crew have returned to shore, according to the provincial flood control office.

In the capital, Fuzhou City, all ports and construction sites along the coast line are closed. In Ningde City, classes will be suspended on Tuesday for middle school, primary school and kindergarten.

Fujian's water resources department has ordered local authorities to enhance inspections of sea walls and dispatched officials to oversee the work.

Railway authorities in Nanchang City, capital of Jiangxi Province, stopped selling tickets for Tuesday for around 85 trains that run through Fujian. Xiamen Ferry Company also said it will cancel all ferries from Tuesday.

The typhoon will also bring gales, torrential rain and high waves to neighboring Zhejiang Province. Residents were asked to remain indoors.

The province has issued a level one emergency response and a red alert for Dujuan on Monday evening.

More than 260,000 people in seven cities in the province have been evacuated and more than 25,000 ships have returned to harbor or safe waters, according to the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters.