Warden Message: China and Taiwan Brace for Typhoon Morakot

Consular Affairs Bulletins Report

U.S. Consulates Shanghai and Guangzhou issued the following Warden Message on August 7:

This warden message is being issued to alert U.S. citizens residing or traveling in the Shanghai and Guangzhou Consular Districts that, according to the U.S. Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Typhoon Morakot is currently tracking westward at 14 knots as a Category 1 Typhoon and is forecast to strike northern Taiwan within 18 hours.  It is subsequently expected to slow and weaken before making landfall in China near the border of Fujian and Zhejiang Provinces as a tropical storm within 40 hours.   As currently forecasted, Fujian and Zhejiang Provinces will receive the greatest impact from Typhoon Morakot, and tropical storm force winds (39-73mph) should be expected.  Anhui and Jiangxi Provinces will also be affected as the storm moves inland.  For further details please refer to the following Tropical Storm tracking website (http://tropicalstormrisk.com/) and monitor The Shanghai Meteorological Bureau (http://www.smb.gov.cn/SMBEnglish/DefaultThumb.aspx) as well as the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (http://metocph.nmci.navy.mil/jtwc.php) for updates.

U.S. citizens are urged to locate shelter and follow all official instructions.  U.S. citizens should carry their travel documents at all times (i.e. U.S. passport, birth certificate, picture IDs, etc.) or secure them in safe, waterproof locations.  We also suggest that American citizens contact friends and family in the United States and update them on their current welfare and whereabouts.

Additional information on typhoon and storm preparedness may be found in the “Hurricane Season-Know Before You Go” pamphlet at: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/hurricane_season/hurricane_season_2915.html, and on the “Natural Disasters” page of the Bureau of Consular Affairs’ website at: http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/emergencies/emergencies_1207.html  Updated information on travel in the Central and Southern China region may be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United States and Canada, or from overseas, 1-202-501-4444.  These numbers are available from 8:00 am to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

For any emergencies involving American citizens, please contact the American Citizens Services (ACS) Unit of the U.S. Consulate General Shanghai’s Consular Section located at 1038 West Nanjing Rd., 8^th Floor:  24-hour emergency number (86)(21)6433-6880, direct line to American Citizen Services is (86)(21)6217-2071; fax (86)(21)6217-2071; email shanghaiACS@state.gov; web page http://shanghai.usembassy-china.org.cn/ or  American Citizens Services (ACS) unit of the  U.S. Consulate General Guangzhou’s Consular Section, located at 5th Floor, Tianyu Garden (II phase), 136-146 Lin He Zhong Lu, Tianhe District,  Telephone: (86-20) 8518-7605; ACS email:GuangzhouACS@state.gov.  Guangzhou adoptions e-mail: GuangzhouA@state.gov  Web sites:  http://guangzhou.state.gov/  or http://guangzhou.usembassy-china.org.cn/

U.S. citizens residing or traveling abroad are reminded to register with the U.S. Embassy or closest U.S. Consulate by entering your travel itinerary and contact information at:  https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs.  In case of difficulties registering online, please contact the closest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.