Chinese coastal cities brace for Typhoon Doksuri

XIAMEN, July 27 (Xinhua) -- As Typhoon Doksuri approaches, the flood control and drought relief headquarters in the Chinese coastal city of Xiamen has taken swift action by raising the emergency response for typhoons to Level I, the highest alert level.

From 3 p.m. Thursday until the end of the emergency response, all industries in this city located in east China's Fujian Province, except for essential services such as water and electricity, will be required to suspend operations.

Public transportation, including subway and buses, will cease operations from 8 p.m. Thursday, followed by the suspension of taxis and ride-hailing services at 10 p.m.

Residents have been advised to stay indoors to ensure their safety during the approaching typhoon.

In Fujian's Zhangzhou City, the local maritime bureau has suspended the operation of 16 passenger ferries. More than 370 ships within the bureau's jurisdiction have returned to ports, 17 water-related projects under construction have been temporarily halted, and a total of 246 personnel who were on board the vessels have gone ashore.

China's national observatory on Thursday morning renewed a red alert for Typhoon Doksuri, the most severe warning in its four-tier warning system, as the fifth typhoon of this year is expected to bring gales and heavy rain to the eastern and southern parts of the country.

The typhoon will most likely make landfall in the coastal areas of Jinjiang City in Fujian Province and the bordering areas of Fujian and Guangdong provinces, the National Meteorological Center said in a statement.