Fujian Suspends Ferry Services as Typhoon Krathon Approaches

Fuzhou, Fujian Province — Due to severe storms triggered by Typhoon Krathon, the 18th typhoon of the year, most passenger ferry services in East China's Fujian Province have been suspended, according to local maritime authorities. The disruption affects 73 out of 74 ferry routes across the province, with only one route currently operational to facilitate the evacuation of tourists from Gulangyu Island.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the National Meteorological Center of China reported that as of Wednesday morning, Typhoon Krathon was centered approximately 125 kilometers southwest of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, in the northeast of the South China Sea. The typhoon exhibited maximum wind speeds near its center at 48 meters per second, equivalent to a level-15 gale on the Beaufort scale.

The typhoon is projected to move northeastward at a pace of 5 to 10 kilometers per hour and is expected to make landfall along the southwestern coast of Taiwan Island between Wednesday night and Thursday morning. In response to the impending severe weather, 110 coastal water-related projects in Fujian have been halted, and 246 construction vessels have moved to shelter. Emergency preparations are underway, with rescue ships, helicopters, patrol boats, and harbor tugboats mobilized to ensure safety and manage the storm's impact effectively.