China issues 'red alert' as super typhoon Lekima approaches

Strongest storm in five years has already cancelled 300 flights and cut power to 40,000 homes in Taiwan

China's weather bureau issued a red alert as super typhoon Lekima approaches Zhejiang province on the eastern coast, after forcing flight cancellations in Taiwan and shutting markets and businesses.

The National Meteorological Centre said the typhoon, the strongest since 2014, was expected to hit the mainland in early on Saturday and then turn north. It has issued gale warnings for the Yangtze river delta region, which includes China's financial hub of Shanghai, a city of 26 million people.