About 55,000 fishing boats from east China's Fujian and Zhejiang provinces have returned to port to take shelter from the approaching Typhoon Megi.

Megi, the 17th typhoon this year, has forced about 174,000 people in the two provinces move to safe places.

Megi made landfall at Hualien in eastern Taiwan about 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, disrupting traffic and leaving more than 1.9 million homes without power.

It is expected to make a second landfall in Fujian Wednesday morning, bringing heavy rain and gales to Fujian and neighboring provinces.

Schools in five cities in Fujian, including its provincial capital of Fuzhou, have been ordered to suspend classes in the next two or three days.

A total of 266 trains through Fujian will be canceled in the next two days while bus services are also affected. Over 150 flights at three major airports in Fujian have been canceled.

Hu Raowen, an official with the Zhejiang Provincial Headquarters of Flood Control and Drought Relief, said heavy rain could cause natural disasters and therefore precautions should be taken.

Last week, Meranti, the strongest typhoon to hit China this year, killed at least ten people in Zhejiang, with most casualties being caused by landslides and flash floods in rural areas. Endi

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