Hong Kong shuts down as year’s biggest typhoon nears

HONG KONG – Hong Kong shut schools and cancelled flights on Sept 23 as Super Typhoon Ragasa approached the financial centre with a force that officials warned would be among the most destructive in the city’s recent history.

The powerful storm posed a wide threat to lives and homes, prompting the authorities in mainland China to order businesses and schools to shut in at least 10 cities across the nation’s south.

The storm had toppled trees, torn roofs off buildings and killed at least one person in a landslide while

lashing the northern Philippines

, where thousands sought shelter in schools and evacuation centres.

The super typhoon was generating maximum sustained winds of 220kmh near its centre while moving west across the South China Sea, according to Hong Kong’s weather service.

The Hong Kong Observatory issued its third-highest typhoon warning, T8, at 2.20pm on Sept 23, saying that Ragasa “has an extensive circulation with fierce winds”.

“The weather is expected to start deteriorating rapidly later today, with winds strengthening quickly,” the observatory said, adding that a “significant” storm surge may cause water levels to rise by up to 4m by Sept 24.

Ms Yang Lee-o, who has lived in the seaside neighbourhood of Lei Yue Mun for 40 years, said government workers had already spent a day placing sandbags.

“Lei Yue Mun is the hardest hit whenever there’s a typhoon or rainstorm,” said the 71-year-old, adding that the water level went up to her thighs during a previous super typhoon.

Scores of workers have set up barricades and elevated walkways, with some business owners moving their wares out of the area.

Hong Kong – home to some 7.5 million people – was preparing for extensive disruption and possible damage, while nearby Chinese technology hub Shenzhen has ordered the evacuation of 400,000 people.

“Ragasa will pose a serious threat to Hong Kong, which could reach the levels of Hato in 2017 and

Mangkhut

in 2018,” Hong Kong’s No. 2 official Eric Chan said on Sept 22, referring to two super typhoons that each cost hundreds of millions in property damage.

The US Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Centre said in an earlier advisory: “The only thing that will stop this storm is land.”

Scientists warn that storms are becoming more powerful as the world warms because of the effects of human-driven climate change.

Hong Kong’s airport will remain open, but there will be

“significant disruption to flight operations”

from 6pm on Sept 23 until the next day, the Airport Authority said.

More than 500 Cathay Pacific flights are expected to be cancelled.

Emergency management authorities in Shenzhen told residents that except for emergency rescue personnel and those ensuring people’s livelihood, “do not go out casually”.

Other cities in the southern province of Guangdong that are implementing the suspension measures include Chaozhou, Zhuhai, Dongguan and Foshan.

“The strong winds and heavy rainfall... will severely impact our city, posing a critical defence situation,” Foshan’s emergency headquarters said in a statement.

‘Better precautions’

Hong Kong residents crowded into markets and grocery stores to stock up ahead of Typhoon Ragasa’s arrival.

“There’s bound to be some concern,” said supermarket shopper Zhu Yifan, a 22-year-old student from China.

Windows in homes and businesses across the city were taped up, with residents hoping this could help reduce the impact of any shattered glass.

Ms Zoe Chan, in her 50s, piled up sandbags outside her clothes shop in the Wanchai district of Hong Kong, saying she expected her business to be “ruined” by water damage.

“The most important thing is to take better precautions, so I can rest easier,” she said.

Thousands of workers rushed home on the afternoon of Sept 23 after the T8 signal was announced, with bus operators saying that service would be reduced later in the day.

Classes were to be suspended on Sept 23 and 24, while the Hong Kong Jockey Club cancelled a horse-racing meet set for Sept 24.

Hong Kong’s stock exchange has changed its rules to keep markets open during typhoons, with the operator telling Bloomberg News that it was “closely monitoring” the situation.

The authorities have told residents of low-lying areas to be alert to flooding, while opening 46 temporary shelters.

Ragasa – the Filipino word for “barrelling through” – will be closest to Hong Kong and nearby casino hub Macau on the morning of Sept 24, according to Chinese weather services.

People in southern mainland China were also rushing to make preparations ahead of the storm.

Shelves of fresh meat and vegetables were mostly bare at a supermarket in Shenzhen’s Bao’an district late on Sept 22.

Checkout queues were long in the bustling store as people hurried around to pick up supplies.

A supermarket employee said bread had already sold out by midday, adding: “It’s not normally like this.”

China’s Environmental Forecasting Centre said coastal waters off Guangdong would be hit by huge to extremely rough waves with heights of up to 7m.

The authorities in Shenzhen have prepared more than 800 emergency shelters, while in the city’s Nanshan district, teams were chainsawing tree branches along main roads in preparation for the typhoon.

“It’s just the bigger ones where there’s a risk. We’ll be out all afternoon all over the district,” said a worker surnamed Zhang, surrounded by piles of logs from behind a taped-off area of pavement

Residents in the world’s largest gambling hub of Macau also braced themselves for significant impact. All the casinos there were forced to shut by 5pm when the former Portuguese colony lifted its typhoon signal to No. 8. AFP, REUTERS, BLOOMBERG