Shenzhen, which lies near Hong Kong, has ordered the evacuation of 400,000 people.
Hong Kong rushed to prepare for the arrival of Super Typhoon Ragasa on Tuesday (Sep 23), with officials warning of a “serious threat” comparable to some of the most destructive storms in the city’s recent history.
Ragasa was generating winds with maximum sustained speeds of 220kmh at its centre as it churned across the South China Sea early on Tuesday, having earlier lashed parts of the Philippines, according to Hong Kong’s weather service.
The finance centre was preparing for extensive disruption and damage, while nearby Chinese tech 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 number-two official Eric Chan said on Monday – referring to two super typhoons that each cost hundreds of millions in property damage.
Hong Kong’s airport will remain open but there will be “significant disruption to flight operations” from 6pm on Tuesday until the next day, the Airport Authority said.
More than 500 Cathay Pacific flights are expected to be cancelled.
Hong Kong Observatory said it would issue its third-highest typhoon warning, T8, at 2.20pm on Tuesday, at which point businesses close up and most transport shuts down.
It warned of rising sea levels, which it said would be similar to those seen during Typhoon Hato and Typhoon Mangkhut.
Water levels will rise about 2m along Hong Kong’s coastal areas, and maximum water levels could reach up to 4m to 5m in some areas, the observatory said, urging residents to take appropriate precautions.
Local authorities handed out sandbags on Monday for residents to bolster their homes in low-lying areas.
Residents in the world’s largest gambling hub of Macau are also bracing for significant impact, with school closures and evacuation plans underway.
“BETTER PRECAUTIONS”
Residents scrambled to stock up ahead of Ragasa’s arrival, leaving supermarket shelves empty of fresh food, vegetables and bread.
“There’s bound to be some concern,” said supermarket shopper Zhu Yifan, a 22-year-old student from China.
Zoe Chan, in her fifties, piled up sandbags outside her clothes shop in the Wanchai district, 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,” Chan told AFP.
School classes will be suspended on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Hong Kong Jockey Club also cancelled Wednesday’s horse-racing meet.
Hong Kong’s stock exchange changed its rules this year to keep markets open during typhoons, with the operator telling Bloomberg News that it was “closely monitoring” the situation.
Authorities have told residents of low-lying areas to be alert to flooding while opening 46 temporary shelters.
Ragasa – named after the Filipino word for rapid motion – will be closest to Hong Kong and nearby casino hub Macau on Wednesday morning, according to Chinese weather services.
