China issues storm surge warning as Typhoon Krovanh nears coast

The National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center issued an orange storm surge warning at 11 am on Saturday, urging authorities along the country's northern coast to prepare for potentially dangerous seawater flooding as Typhoon Krovanh affected waters in the East China Sea.

Krovanh, the 24th typhoon of the year, was classified as a tropical storm and was located about 195 kilometers northwest of Naha in Japan's Okinawa Prefecture as of 8 am Friday, according to the center. It had maximum sustained winds of 23 meters per second near its center, equivalent to about 83 kilometers per hour.

The storm was forecast to move southward at 15 to 20 kilometers per hour over the next 24 hours, with little change in strength.

Authorities expect Krovanh to push seawater above normal levels along several bays on China's northern coast from Saturday morning through Sunday morning. Water levels could rise by 40 to 80 centimeters along the Liaodong Bay coast, 50 to 80 cm along Bohai Bay and 30 to 70 cm along Laizhou Bay.

An orange warning, the second-highest level in China's four-tier warning system, was issued for Qinhuangdao in Hebei province. A lower-level yellow warning was issued for Huludao in Liaoning province and Tangshan in Hebei, while Tianjin, Cangzhou in Hebei and Weifang in Shandong received blue warnings.

A storm surge occurs when strong winds and low atmospheric pressure associated with a storm push seawater toward the coast. It can cause seawater to flow into low-lying coastal areas, particularly when high tides occur at the same time.

The forecasting center warned that some low-lying coastal areas could face a risk of seawater flooding and urged local governments to step up emergency preparations.

Authorities were told to order fishing and other vessels back to port, secure aquaculture facilities and fishing harbor infrastructure, and evacuate people working at sea when necessary.

Coastal beaches and recreational facilities in dangerous areas should be closed, while people were advised to stay away from the shoreline. Officials were also instructed to inspect seawalls, floodgates and other coastal defenses and reinforce vulnerable sections where necessary.

The center said residents and workers in particularly dangerous areas should be evacuated to safer locations if conditions warrant.