This is the shocking moment the external cladding of a Chinese high-rise building was ripped off by a typhoon.

Footage shows large chunks of the facade crashing to the ground during high winds in Shanghai, China, on September 16.

Locals gathered to watch the spectacle, and they could be heard screaming as masonry, including bricks, fell onto parked cars.

City council officials warned people to stay indoors unless necessary due to the strong winds and risk of injury.

The powerful winds were caused by Typhoon Bebinca, a Category 1 storm that made landfall in Shanghai on Monday morning, with wind speeds reaching about 150 km/h (95 mph).

Meteorologists said it has been the most powerful tropical cyclone that has affected the city since 1949.