Shanghai's Pudong International Airport canceled many flights to southern China yesterday as the city prepared for the first typhoon of the year.

Local emergency authorities issued a typhoon warning at noon yesterday, and meteorologists cautioned residents to be on the lookout for possible flooding on downtown and suburban roads.

The heaviest weather from typhoon Chanchu is expected to rake the city today and tomorrow with wind gusts up to 74 kilometers an hour in center city and 102 kph at the Yangshan Deep-Water Port along the East China Sea.

An undisclosed number of air passengers were stranded yesterday as Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines canceled many flights bound for south China.

The carrier halted at least 22 Hong Kong flights originating from airports around the country, including eight from Pudong.

Dragonair canceled two flights from Shanghai to Hong Kong.

Only three of the mainland's 30 scheduled Hong Kong-bound flights were allowed to depart.

China Eastern also grounded 13 flights to Shenzhen in Guangdong Province.

"We're adjusting flights according to the development of typhoon," said Zhang Ming, a China Eastern spokesman. "Flights to Hong Kong, Hainan Province, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and areas along the coast in Fujian Province were either canceled or forced to make detours."

Guangzhou-based China Southern Airlines said yesterday it canceled one flight from Shanghai to Shantou in Guangdong Province, while service to Guangzhou and Shenzhen was unaffected.

"We've arranged for stranded passengers to stay at a nearby hotel and await the movement of typhoon," said Gong Jinxiang, a China Southern official in Shanghai.

Shanghai Spring Travel Agency said it had to suspend tours to Zhuhai in Guangdong Province. Around 200 passengers were told to stay in Shanghai until further notice.

"Some passengers arranged to stay in hotels nearby the airport," said spokesperson Zhang Lei. "But they will have to pay for meals and rooms charges, as the delay was caused by an act of nature."

Local skies are expected to clear on Saturday, and the temperature should rise by about 10 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees.

(Shanghai Daily May 18, 2006)