Zhuhai suspends classes and takes precautions as typoon Koinu approaches

All schools and kindergartens in the Zhuhai special economic zone, Guangdong province, have ordered a suspension of classes starting Sunday noon when typhoon Koinu batters the coastal city, located at the mouth of the Pearl River.

All the students and kids were properly arranged at campuses and kindergartens when the city experienced downpours and strong winds, accompanying Koinu, the 14th to hit the Chinese coast this year, according to a statement released by the city government on Sunday.

Meanwhile all the major outdoor construction sites have been required to halt construction, and reinforce necessary areas while no large scale outdoor activities and gathering have been allowed to avoid any accident, said the statement.

No vessels have been allowed to leave shelters and major scenic spots have been temporarily closed starting Sunday, it said.

Those who are living vulnerable buildings, near coastal, river dikes and low lying areas, plus the outdoor construction areas, have been evacuated to shelters.

All the city's shelters have opened to those in need, it said Local observatory has issued a yellow alert, the third highest in a four-colored warning system, on Sunday for Koinu, which brings strong winds and heavy rain to the Guangdong's coast on Sunday.

Affected by Koinu, the ro-ro passenger service across Qiongzhou strait, linking Hainan, the country's second largest island, to the Zhanjiang city in western part of Guangdong coast will be suspended beginning Monday.

And the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has also been temporarily closed starting 2:30 pm, Sunday.

When the bridge which runs across the estuary of the Pearl River will reopen to traffic has to be waited for a further notice, said the statement.

Due to the storms and strong gales, Zhuhai airport has cancelled part of the departure and arrival flights while Zhuhai's ferry services to Hong Kong, Macao and its outlying islands have all been suspended starting Sunday noon, said the statement.

Meanwhile Hong Kong international airport, an aviation hub in the southern Chinese region, has cancelled more than 90 departure and arrival flights while more than 130 others have to be delayed on Sunday, the city's airport authority said.