Typhoon Threat Forces China to Suspend Trains, Close Schools

Beijing: Chinese authorities have suspended train services, closed schools and bought trawlers back to port before two typhoons in the south and east of the country make landfall later this week, state media said.

Typhoon Linfa is expected to make landfall in the southern province of Guangdong today. The more powerful Typhoon Chan-Hom could land further up the coast in Fujian or Zhejiang province late on Friday, Xinhua news agency said.

China's commercial capital, Shanghai, will stop all passenger trains running south along the coast on Friday and Saturday, the report said.

Guangdong province has closed primary and middle schools in 15 counties, it said.

Typhoons are common at this time of year in the South China Sea, picking up strength from the warm waters before dissipating over land.