Typhoon Bebinka, which reached Shanghai today, is the strongest storm to affect the Chinese metropolis since 1949 , reported the Associated Press and France Press, cited by BTA, citing information from China Central Television.
"The maximum wind speed near the center of the typhoon was 42 m/s (151.2 km/h) at the time of landfall,", Chinese television reported.
The strongest storm that affected the metropolis was Typhoon Gloria in 1949, Reuters recalls.
Shanghai authorities have canceled hundreds of flights in preparation for Typhoon Bebinka's arrival.
A statement from the airport authorities said that flights after 20:00 local time will be canceled at Hongqiao and Pudong airports, affecting more than 600 flights. The city also announced it was suspending travel on some bridges and restricting traffic on other highways.
State media reported that 377,000 people were evacuated from across Shanghai. Meanwhile, in the nearby city of Zhoushan, restaurants, supermarkets and shops closed early for the day and public transport was suspended.
The storm is expected to bring up to 10 inches (25.4 cm) of rain to the worst-hit parts of the east coast, according to state media.