Central China's Henan activates emergency response as Typhoon Bebinca hits

ZHENGZHOU, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Central China's Henan Province has activated an emergency response mechanism for Typhoon Bebinca, according to the provincial emergency management bureau on Wednesday.

The province has positioned 150 rescue teams comprising 4,859 personnel, equipped with over 1,600 pieces of specialized rescue equipment, including bulldozers, communication vehicles and drainage trucks. A helicopter has also been stationed to aid rapid response efforts.

From 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, the northern and central-eastern regions of the province experienced showers and thunderstorms, with heavy rains and storms affecting cities such as Shangqiu in particular.

The center of the typhoon moved into Zhoukou City, Henan, early on Wednesday morning. It is forecast that Bebinca will move slowly westward at speeds of 5 to 10 kilometers per hour, with intensity continuing to weaken. The provincial meteorological bureau has upgraded its emergency response to a Level-III rainstorm warning, the third-highest response level.

Bebinca, the 13th typhoon of the year as counted by China's meteorological authorities, made landfall in Shanghai at approximately 7:30 a.m. Monday. The typhoon, which saw maximum wind speeds near its center reach 42 meters per second, struck the Lingang area of the Pudong district. It is thought to be the strongest typhoon to hit Shanghai in 75 years.