China on alert for the arrival of Typhoon Chanthu: it closed two ports threatened by rains and waves of up to five meters

Two of the main Chinese ports are preparing for the arrival of Typhoon Chanthu, which brought heavy rains to the northern Philippines on Friday on his way to Taiwan and the Chinese coast.

The China Maritime Safety Administration has issued a notice to Fujian Province, where the port of Xiamen is located, asking ships to adjust their sailing plans and leave the waters affected by the typhoon. The Ningbo Maritime Security Administration, which covers the port of Ningbo-Zhoushan, announced Thursday that it has launched a level four emergency response.

The ports of Asia have become one of the bottlenecks in global trade, as demand for goods from Europe and the United States exceeds the capacity of docks and ships. The COVID-19 pandemic has also affected the ability of shipping companies to operate properly, with crews affected and China closing two different ports in recent months following outbreaks among dockworkers.

Any shutdown, even temporary, would further slow down supply chains, which are already at full capacity.as exporters try to make more shipments as the Christmas season approaches.

Typhoon Conson kills 14 in Philippines

At least 14 people have died and seven remain missing in the wake of Typhoon Conson, which crossed the central region of the Philippine archipelago earlier this week.

The National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (NDRRMC) said on Friday in its latest update that in addition to the 14 deaths, at least 20 people were injured by the Conson, which damaged more than 6,400 homes and 150 roads after making landfall for the first time on Tuesday and leaving on Thursday, already degraded in a strong tropical storm.

The Conson, which affected nearly 110,000 people, forced some 12,000 residents to move to evacuation centers set up by the authorities and caused losses estimated at 250 million Philippine pesos ($ 5.1 million), according to NDRRMC figures.

In the meantime, the authorities have issued a new alert for the arrival of Typhoon Chanthu, with sustained winds up to 185 kilometers per hour and maximum gusts up to 230, which will affect the northern part of the island of Luzon between this evening and Saturday, indicates the Philippine department of meteorology.

According to this organ, the Chanthu will cause heavy rains and waves up to 5 meters high, for which he urged fishermen in the region to take extreme precautions and avoid going out fishing.

(With information from Bloomberg and EFE)

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