South China's Hainan suspends port operations as typhoon intensifies

HAIKOU, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- The three major ports in Haikou, capital of south China's island province of Hainan, will suspend operations from Monday evening, as typhoon Fengshen, the 24th typhoon of the year, was upgraded to a severe tropical storm earlier in the afternoon.

The center of typhoon Fengshen was located approximately 400 kilometers from Yongxing Dao in the South China Sea at 3 p.m.. The storm is forecast to move east by north at a speed of 20 to 25 km/h, intensifying further and likely reaching typhoon level at its peak, before turning toward central coastal areas of Vietnam, according to the provincial meteorological service.

The Xinhai Port, Xiuying Port, and the railway south port will suspend operations due to the typhoon, with services expected to resume around Thursday depending on weather conditions, according to Haikou's transport and port authorities.

Additionally, some train services to and from Hainan Island have been canceled, and emergency response levels have been adjusted to enhance preparedness.