Typhoon Lekima brings storm tides to east China coasts

The North China Marine Forecasting Center issued a red alert for storm tides late Sunday night, warning that typhoon Lekima would cause tide levels to rise upon its landing in eastern China coasts over the weekend.

Huge waves from a tidal bore caused by the Typhoon Lekima, the 9th typhoon of the year, surge past the banks along the seacoast in Qingdao city, east China's Shandong province, August 11, 2019. [Photo: IC]

The center, under the Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources, forecast that the seawater level would surge 30 to 60 cm along the coast of Shandong Peninsula, and up to 200 cm along the coast of Laizhou Bay and Bohai Bay on Monday.

A total of 32 people died and 16 remain missing after Lekima, the ninth and strongest typhoon of the year, landed at around 1:45 a.m. Saturday in the city of Wenling in Zhejiang Province.

It made a second landing at 8:50 p.m. on Sunday on the coast of Huangdao district, the city of Qingdao, eastern China's Shandong Province, packing winds of up to 82.8 km per hour, according to the China Meteorological Administration.

The North China Marine Forecasting Center said due to Lekima's effect, tide levels at main gauge stations will reach danger marks of red to orange warnings on Monday.

Waves measuring 3 to 4 meters high will appear along the northern coast of Shandong, eastern Liaoning and Hebei provinces on Monday, the center said.

The center warned local authorities to closely monitor the marine fishery and aquaculture facilities and strengthen the inspection and maintenance of dikes.