DHAKA: More than 800,000 people have been evacuated from coastal areas of eastern China in anticipation of a powerful typhoon ‘Chan-hom’.

‘Chan-hom’ is expected to make landfall south of Shanghai later on Saturday.

Winds have been recorded at up to 187km/h and about 400 flights have been cancelled.

The storm left five people dead in the Philippines earlier in the week. It also hit Taiwan and Japan, uprooting trees and injuring several people.

China's National Meteorological Centre warned that ‘Chan-hom’ could be the worst typhoon to strike the region since 1949.

It was forecast to make landfall in Zhejiang province near the port city of Ningbo, before moving towards Shanghai.

Chinese television showed footage of coastal regions being battered by torrential rain as the typhoon neared.

BDST: 1217 HRS, JULY 11, 2015
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