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Typhoon brings unexpected gift of oysters to Qingdao(1/4)

2019-08-14 11:06:41 chinadaily.com.cn Editor :Li Yan

Local citizens swarm to beaches in Qingdao, Shandong Province to pick up oysters brought by Typhoon Lekima. (Photo by Xu Yuli/for chinadaily.com.cn)

Typhoon Lekima, which made second landfall in Qingdao of East China's Shandong Province on Sunday morning, brought heavy rainfall and some more unexpected "gifts" — oysters.

Huge waves lapped the shores and left masses of oysters and oyster shells carpeting several beaches along Qingdao West New Area starting Sunday night, according to a report from Qingdao Evening News on Tuesday.

At Navy Park Beach on Monday morning, local residents swarmed to harvest the free oysters with boxes and bags.

"Early birds" could collect more than 50 kilograms of oysters in less than one hour. Some used gunny bags to carry them. They were going back home to cook and eat them, the report said.

Local citizens swarm to beaches in Qingdao, Shandong Province to pick up oysters brought by Typhoon Lekima. (Photo by Xu Yuli/for chinadaily.com.cn)

Some people said the oysters were wild and highly sought-after, and had been transported by huge waves from Lekima.

But some veteran fishermen said the oysters could be farmed, and only washed ashore by waves.

While oyster-pickers had a good time, local peddlers also found business opportunities. They sold small buckets, shovels and bottled water nearby, and some earned 200 yuan ($28) a day.

The revelry ended at 11 am Tuesday when the tide rose. Travelers can try their luck again early Wednesday morning when the tide falls.

Lekima, the ninth and strongest typhoon of the year, made its second landing at 8:50 pm on Sunday on the coast of Qingdao, packing winds up to 82.8 km per hour, then weakened and moved to northeastern China on Tuesday before an expected dying out on Wednesday.