HEFEI - The Huangshan Mountain, a UNESCO World Heritage site in East China's Anhui province, reopened for tourism on Thursday following a short closure due to the arrival of Typhoon Haikui.

Authorities in the city of Huangshan had evacuated 19,000 people before the typhoon arrived on Wednesday, bringing strong rains and heavy winds.

The Huangshan Mountain administration office's forestry department said it has dispatched enough manpower to protect 150 ancient trees located in scenic areas.

The office on Thursday asked tourists to heed safety alerts and pay attention to information regarding closures of some scenic areas in the region.

Municipal authorities said watersports on the area's rivers will be prohibited until the typhoon has passed.

Typhoon Haikui was downgraded to a severe tropical storm Wednesday afternoon after landing in East China's Zhejiang province early that morning. It has swept across Shanghai, as well as Anhui and Jiangsu provinces.