Shanghai was brought to a standstill on Monday by what authorities say was the strongest typhoon to directly hit the Chinese financial hub in more than seven decades, with flights, trains and highways suspended during a national holiday.

The strongest typhoon in more than seven decades has struck China’s financial capital, bringing gale-force winds and heavy rain to the eastern seaboard and disrupting holidaymakers at the start of a days-long national festival.

Tens of millions of people in Shanghai and across China's densely populated east coast hunkered indoors Monday as the strongest storm to hit since 1949 swept in, downing trees and disrupting transport across the region.

Shanghai was brought to a standstill on Monday morning by what authorities say was the strongest typhoon to directly hit the Chinese financial hub in more than seven decades, with flights, trains and highways suspended during a national holiday.

The strongest storm in over 70 years hit Shanghai disrupting the mid-autumn festival. With winds up to 120 km/h, it forced evacuations and cancellations of flights, rail services, and road closures across the Yangtze River Delta region.

Typhoon Bebinca made landfall in Shanghai on Monday morning, disrupting flights and trains. Typhoon Bebinca landed in Shanghai on Monday as a Category 1 storm, making it the strongest tropical cyclone to hit the Chinese financial center in over 70 years.