China's Fujian suspends ferry services as Typhoon Kong-rey nears

FUZHOU -- East China's Fujian province partially suspended passenger ferry services on Tuesday due to storms from the approaching Typhoon Kong-rey, the 21st typhoon of the year.

As of 6 pm, 16 ferry routes and 67 coastal construction projects across the province had been suspended, with 32 passenger ferries and 84 construction vessels halting operations temporarily, according to Fujian maritime safety administration.

The province has initiated a Level-III emergency response to the typhoon, with specialized rescue forces, such as rescue vessels, helicopters and patrol boats, on standby, the administration said.

Typhoon Kong-rey is expected to make landfall on Taiwan's eastern coast on Thursday. It will then move across the island toward the coastal areas of Fujian and its neighboring Zhejiang province, according to a meeting convened by the Ministry of Water Resources on Tuesday.

The ministry has urged local water authorities to strengthen flood prevention measures, noting that water levels in several rivers across both provinces are expected to rise. In areas experiencing heavy rainfall, some small and medium rivers may exceed warning thresholds.