BEIJING, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Typhoon Gaemi's remnants have brought intense rainfall to many parts of China, prompting evacuations, train suspensions and rising water levels in major reservoirs.
As of 5 p.m. Saturday, more than 30,000 residents in northeastern China's Liaoning Province had been safely relocated.
The provincial flood control and drought relief department said that heavy rainfall from Gaemi, this year's third typhoon, has caused water levels to rise in 13 rivers and 50 reservoirs across the province.
The province has organized inspections and patrols along the dikes to prepare for potential flooding and to reduce disaster risks.
Local authorities said the capital city of Shenyang is expected to experience heavy rainfall from Sunday to Tuesday, advising residents to avoid outdoor activities unless necessary.
As a precautionary measure, hundreds of chemical enterprises and mining companies across the province had suspended operations and relocated employees and nearby residents as of 7:00 a.m. on Saturday.
On Saturday, China Railway Shenyang Bureau Group Co., Ltd. said that 39 trains would be suspended from Saturday to Thursday to ensure passenger safety. Sections of some railway lines have suffered damages and hazards, due to continuous rainfall over the past few days.
In response to the upcoming continuous rainfall, local railway authorities have deployed over 20 repair teams and dispatched large machinery, such as loaders and excavators, to reinforce the railways and enhance their flood resistance capacity.
In central China's Hunan Province, intense rains lashed Chenzhou City, forcing the evacuation of more than 5,700 people as of Saturday afternoon.
The average rainfall across the city was 116 mm from 8 a.m. Friday to 4 p.m. Saturday, with some townships breaking historical rainfall records. In Zixing City and Rucheng County, some areas experienced disruptions in power and communications, affecting 20,000 residents.
Hunan raised its emergency flood response level on Saturday night, as forecasts indicated that the impact of Typhoon Gaemi on the province was expected to intensify.
On Saturday afternoon, east China's Shandong Province issued six weather-related alerts in response to the typhoon, warning residents of heavy rain, strong gales, geological disasters and flash floods.
Although Gaemi is moving inland and northward, the coastal provinces are still battling heavy rain and strong winds.
More than 115,000 people had been relocated to safe places in Guangdong Province by Saturday noon. Additionally, a tornado struck Xiangshan Village in Chaozhou City on Friday evening.
In eastern Fujian Province, 11 rivers have exceeded their warning levels, according to the provincial water resources department.
According to the provincial flood control office, as of 6 p.m. on Friday, Typhoon Gaemi had affected 766,900 residents in Fujian, with 304,200 evacuated from hazardous areas.
As of 7 a.m. on Saturday, around 57,000 rescue personnel had participated in emergency rescue and disaster recovery efforts, said the office, adding that damaged infrastructure, such as power and telecommunication systems, has been repaired, and the telecommunication network is now operating smoothly.
Torrential rain during the peak flood season, from late July to early August, has triggered flash flooding in many parts of China.
The National Meteorological Center renewed an orange alert for rainstorms on Saturday. ■
