A tropical storm that prompted flight and ferry cancellations in Taiwan is forecast to reach typhoon strength before hitting the southern China coast on Sunday (Jul 20).
The storm earlier crossed the Philippines, where a parked truck was crushed by a billboard-like structure toppled by high winds in Quezon City, north of Manila.
Wipha had maximum sustained winds of 101 kph and gusts up to 126 kph as it passed south of Taiwan on Saturday, the island’s Central News Agency said.
More than 20 centimetres of rain was recorded in Hualien and Taitung counties on Taiwan’s east coast, the news agency said. Several domestic flights were cancelled, and service on 14 ferry routes was suspended because of rough seas and strong winds.
On the other side of the Taiwan Strait, many ferries suspended service in Fujian province on China’s east coast.
The storm, the sixth of the season in the western Pacific, is forecast to reach typhoon strength before passing near Hong Kong overnight. It is expected to bring heavy rain along China’s southern coast and then weaken as it heads west to Vietnam and Laos.
In Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific said that all flights arriving or departing between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sunday would be cancelled or delayed. The airline is waiving ticket change fees, it said.
The Hong Kong Observatory has issued a warning of gale-force or stronger winds and potential flooding in low-lying coastal areas due to storm surges. A 30-kilometre bridge that crosses the water between Hong Kong and Macao will be closed overnight, Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK reported.
