Shanghai officials held an emergency meeting last night, urging all government departments to be ready for a typhoon that might be the strongest in recent years.

The typhoon, named Rananim, is now 420 kilometers southeast of Taiwan, and heading toward the coastal areas of neighboring Zhejiang Province at a speed of 17 km per hour.

Meteorologists expected it to land in Zhejiang tonight or tomorrow morning, but didn't say whether it will directly hit the city.

The city will definitely be affected, however, with storms forecast for this afternoon or evening. The storms will possibly continue into tomorrow.

The wind power is expected to reach Force 9 to 11 (103 to 117 kilometers an hour) in coastal areas. Today's high should be 32 degrees.

At last night's meeting, Vice Mayor Yang Xiaodu that suggested police block roads with large numbers of neon lights and large billboards if necessary to avoid injury accidents.

The greenery administration was urged to take measures to protect local trees, while property management companies should strengthen inspections on dilapidated residential houses as well as air-conditioners.

The city's meteorological bureau was finally able to create a little man-made rain yesterday, after an attempt on Tuesday fell short of success.

A plane carrying shells of silver iodide left a military airport in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, around yesterday noon and was hovering over the city's northern Baoshan District about 20 minutes later.

Within 30 minutes, the iodide was planted in clouds over suburban Baoshan, Nanhui, Qingpu and Minhang districts and Pudong New Area.

Up to 14.2 millimeter rain fell in Nanhui starting at 1pm and the rain lasted for about two hours there. It also rained in Minhang and Qingpu. The rain cooled down those areas for a short time by up to 4.2 degrees Celsius.

(Shanghai Daiy August 12, 2004)