Bad weather in east China affected sea traffic Thursday, local officials said.

In Shanghai, gales of 50 to 72 kilometers per hour hit the docks at the estuary of the Yangtze River starting Thursday morning. Nearly 100 ships had to delay or cancel their departures.

In Fujian Province, heavy fog closed the sea route between Mawei in the provincial capital of Fuzhou and Mazu, Taiwan.

(Xinhua News Agency February 13, 2009)