Supertyphoon Saola, approaching the Chinese coast, could be “the most powerful” to make landfall in the Hong Kong region, which also includes Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Macau, for more than seventy years, warned the National Meteorological Center on the Weibo social network, Friday, September 1. Its winds reach over 200 km/h.
With the possibility of a direct impact on Hong Kong, authorities have warned that they will consider issuing a higher alert [current alert is T8 level] “between 6 and 10 p.m. tonight” on Friday (between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Paris time), to raise it to T9 or even T10, a maximum that has only been issued 16 times since World War II.
At 2 p.m. (8 a.m. Paris time), Saola was 140 kilometers east and southeast of Hong Kong, with sustained winds of 210 km. The supertyphoon could bypass the territory less than 50 kilometers to the south, and cause a storm surge around Victoria Harbor, a strait that separates the mainland and island parts of Hong Kong, according to the observatory. The road bridge linking Hong Kong, Macao and the Chinese city of Zhuhai was closed on Friday afternoon for security reasons, according to local media.
The 2018 supertyphoon Mangkhut sets a precedent
Authorities fear landslides, flooding with water that could rise up to three meters above the normal level in some areas. Eastern coastal areas could see water levels similar to those caused by supertyphoon Mangkhut in 2018. More than 300 people were injured in Hong Kong. In mainland China, it had affected more than three million people in the southern provinces, killing six.
The streets of Hong Kong were deserted on Friday, apart from a few locals looking for last-minute shopping for the weekend. According to a resident met by Agence France-Presse, the government made the right choice by delaying the start of the school year. “If it reaches [alert level T10], there could be traffic disruptions. It is better to wait until this is over before sending the children to school. »
Storefronts and windows in shops and homes have been protected with duct tape, while office buildings near Victoria Harbor have barricaded entrances to try to keep water out.
Interruption of transport
The Hong Kong airport authority announced the cancellation of more than 300 flights on Friday, but 600 more remain scheduled. Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific has suspended all flights to and from Hong Kong. China’s Zhuhai and Shenzhen airports canceled hundreds of flights as authorities in Guangdong suspended all train connections until Saturday. In mainland China, Guangdong province has declared a Level I wind emergency, the maximum level.
Shenzhen, a city of 17.7 million inhabitants, has decided to close offices, shops and markets from 4 p.m. (10 a.m. Paris time). “Apart from emergency response personnel and livelihoods protection personnel, people are advised not to go outside,” the emergency management department said, noting that “the city will open all shelters so that the public can take refuge”.
All public transport in Shenzhen will cease service in the evening, while trains to and from Guangdong will be suspended Friday from 8 p.m. (2 p.m. KST) until 6 p.m. Paris time) Saturday. Authorities in Macau, a neighboring territory of Hong Kong, said they were considering the possibility of issuing a T8 level alert on Saturday. As for the Exchange, it was announced that “[Friday] morning trading sessions for all markets will be cancelled”.
Strict construction standards
Although they can temporarily disrupt cities like Hong Kong and Macau, typhoons are causing far fewer casualties and damage than before, thanks to stricter building standards and better flood management systems. Surfers even took advantage of winds that were already reaching 63 km/h to compete against huge waves generated by the approach to Saola.
Due to its passage earlier this week in the northern Philippines, thousands of people were displaced, but no casualties were reported. Southern China is frequently hit by typhoons that form in the warm oceans east of the Philippines in summer and fall and then move west.
Meanwhile, Typhoon Haikui is approaching Taiwan and is expected to make landfall on Sunday before heading towards the Chinese city of Fuzhou, according to the Taiwan Meteorological Bureau. The Taishan nuclear power plant in Guangzhou indicated on its official Wechat account to suspend all external operations, mobilizing its emergency personnel.
Climate change has increased the intensity of tropical storms, with more rain and stronger gusts causing flash flooding and coastal damage, experts say.
