Train services affected as Typhoon Khanun approaches South China

Train services will be affected from Saturday as the 20th typhoon of this year, Typhoon Khanun, is expected to make landfall on southern China's Hainan or Guangdong provinces this weekend, China's Xinhua news agency reported.

The Yuehai train and vehicle ferry on the Qiongzhou Strait, which connects the island province of Hainan with Guangdong on the mainland, was suspended on Saturday morning as winds are expected to increase to 24.5 to 36.9 meters per second on Saturday evening.

Yuehai Railway and Hainan Maritime Safety Administration confirmed that passenger trains running between Sanya, a beach resort in Hainan, and Beijing would be affected.

Train services between Sanya or Haikou, capital of Hainan, and cities of Shanghai, Changsha, Zhengzhou, Changchun and Harbin will be halted on either side of the strait from October 14 to 17.

High-speed trains within Hainan are currently operating as usual. The provincial railway department will decide whether to suspend services on the island depending on the impact of Khanun.

Passengers who have bought tickets for the affected services can change their dates or apply for refunds, Yuehai Railway said.

The 18th and 19th typhoons, Talim and Doksuri, brought torrential rain and gales to Hainan and other coastal provinces in southern China last month, causing sea and rail services in the regions to be suspended.

-- BERNAMA