Bebinca, the 13th typhoon of the year, has been wreaking havoc in Shanghai since making landfall around 07:30 on Monday, bringing about 50 millimeters of rainfall by 08:00.
At the time of landfall, the maximum wind speed near the eye of the storm was about 42 meters per second.
Shanghai's meteorological observatory upgraded the yellow alert for heavy rain to an orange alert at 11:00, forecasting that the cumulative precipitation in most areas of the city will exceed 100 mm within the next six hours.
China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue.
Amid the heavy rainstorm, a tuned mass damper inside the Shanghai Tower, designed to keep the 632-meter skyscraper stable under severe weather conditions, was seen visibly shaking.
The special wind resistance device weighs about 1,000 tons and can produce a reacting force against the tower's mass inertia. Its main function is to mitigate vibrations caused by rainstorms, providing more comfort to people on the higher floors.
As of the dawn on Monday, more than 414,000 residents have been evacuated to safety and over 800 ships have returned to port, according to Shanghai's flood control and drought relief headquarters.
The resettlement sites are fully equipped with power supplies, lighting, drinking water, food, and other essential supplies to support the evacuees.
Over 2,500 rescue teams consisting of 56,000 rescue workers, backed by over 80 mobile pump trucks and 400 material warehouses, are on standby for emergency response.
Typhoon Bebinca wreaks havoc in Shanghai
Typhoon Bebinca wreaks havoc in Shanghai
Macao has been emerging as a global hub for conventions and exhibitions in recent years by exploring the enormous opportunities in the sector, driving the region to advance its economic diversification and embrace a brighter future.
Macao has received many awards this year, such as the Best Convention City (Asia) and the Best BT-MICE City, showcasing the recognition for and influence of Macao's exhibition industry.
More than 1,000 electronic game enthusiasts from all over the world gathered recently in Macao to participate in a esports themed event.
Su Zhili, organizer of the event, said that Macao's rich experience in hosting large-scale events, coupled with its good infrastructure, has driven him to choose the region as an ideal destination to hold such an activity.
"Macao has held many similar large-scale events. It has rich experience, and the facilities at the venue are relatively mature, so we can start our work comfortably," said Su.
During the first three quarters of 2024, Macao held more than 1,000 conferences and exhibitions in total.
"We will invite more professional, special conferences to be held in Macao and also cultivate more exhibition brands with international influence in Macao, so as to promote Macao's exhibitions to be more market-oriented, professional, international, digital and greener from various aspects. This is our goal," said Elaine Wong, member of the Macao Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute.
In addition, multiple large exhibitions and conferences, such as the Macao International Trade and Investment fair, the Macao Franchise Expo, and the International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum, are held regularly in Macao.
With the introduction of a series of policies and measures to facilitate the exchanges between the mainland and Macao, as well as the construction and development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, Macao's convention and exhibition industry will embrace more opportunities for development in the foreseeable future.
"We have such a good industrial base in the Greater Bay Area. The mode of 'Convention and Exhibition + Industry' not only integrates the industries of Macao, but also the industries of the Greater Bay Area. In addition, Macao actively integrates into the national development and plays a role in the Belt and Road. Why are we so confident in Macao's convention and exhibition sector? Because it is backed by the motherland, and the country gives Macao great support," said Alan Ho, chairman of the Macao Association of Convention, Exhibition and Tourism Sectors.
Macao emerges as global hub for conventions and exhibitions, driving economic diversification and international recognition
