BEIJING: Chinese authorities Wednesday ordered fishermen back to shore and halted rail services as Typhoon Megi, the strongest northwest Pacific storm since 1990, barrelled towards the mainland. Megi has already wreaked havoc in the Philippines, killing at least 19 people and leaving relief workers scrambling to deliver aid to devastated, remote towns. It is now making its way towards southern China, where it is expected to make landfall in the southern province of Guangdong Saturday, the National Meteorological Center said. “We expect that the strong winds and torrential rain brought by Megi will increase the probability of geological disasters happening in the south such as floods, land and mudslides,” the center warned. Hong Kong's observatory said Thursday the storm was showing “signs of intensification” and said vessels from the territory should avoid the open sea. Fishing boats in the southern province of Guangdong and neighboring Fujian have been told not to leave port, and those already at sea have been ordered back to shore, the official China Daily newspaper said. – Agence France
