Beijing-Guangzhou trains suspended as Typhoon Podul nears

As Typhoon Podul approaches, some trains along railway lines between Beijing, Hong Kong, and Guangzhou will be suspended on Tuesday, with more suspensions expected on Wednesday, according to railway departments.

Typhoon Podul, the 11th typhoon of this year, is expected to make a second landfall on the coastline connecting Fujian and Guangdong provinces from nightfall of Wednesday to early morning on Thursday, after its initial landfall along the southeastern coast of Taiwan around midday on Wednesday, according to the National Meteorological Center.

After landfall, the typhoon's intensity will gradually weaken.

The NMC issued a yellow typhoon alert on Tuesday, warning that gusts near the center could reach speeds of up to 201 km/h. Torrential rain is expected in eastern and southern Taiwan, with extreme downpours possible in some areas.

China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe, followed by orange, yellow, and blue.

In response to the severe weather brought by the typhoon, China Railway Guangzhou Group has assessed risks and planned adjustments to the transportation schedules on several routes.

Starting Wednesday, some trains on the Beijing-Guangzhou and Beijing-Kowloon Railways, as well as routes between Zhejiang and Guangdong and the Meizhou-Shantou line, will be suspended.

Due to the impact of the typhoon, some trains in operation may experience delays to varying degrees, the railway group said on Tuesday.

On the maritime front, all fishing boats in areas east of Shanwei are required to return to port by 8 pm on Tuesday, with recreational boats being prohibited from going out to sea, according to provincial headquarters for flood, drought, and wind control.