Everything About the Hong Kong Typhoon That Has Caused Schools to Shut in the City

By
Shawn Ambrose
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Such is the malice and indifference of the universe that when one disaster ends, another often begins.

Hong Kong has successfully controlled its COVID-19 outbreak, with fewer than 10 new cases per day in the past week or so.

But now it’s grappling with a severe weather event that has forced the authorities to take drastic measures.

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Everything About the Hong Kong Typhoon That Has Caused Schools to Shut in the City

The Hong Kong authorities have shut schools and suspended the city’s stock market due to a menacing typhoon that has lashed at the city for days.

The Hong Kong Observatory, a weather forecast agency of the government of Hong Kong, raised the storm warning signal from No. 3 to No. 8, the third-highest level on its scale.

The typhoon, named Kompasu, has also kept community vaccination centres, vaccination stations at hospitals, and some sample collection points for COVID-19 testing shuttered.

In its alert, the Observatory warned residents that Kompasu may lead to flooding in low-lying areas.

“Members of the public should continue to take precautions against flooding. Seas will be rough with swells,” it said.

It advised residents to stay away from the shoreline and avoid water sports.

It also urged residents to take the following precautions:

  • Lock all windows and doors, insert reinforced shutters and gates if they are available. Drains should be cleared of leaves and rubbish as soon as possible.
  • Do not stand near windows on the exposed side of your home. Make sure you have a safe place to shelter, should windows be broken.
  • Owners of neon signs should switch off the electricity supply to the signs.
  • Please listen to radio or watch TV for the latest weather information broadcast.

Earlier Tropical Storm Killed Construction Worker

This is the second tropical storm to hit Hong Kong in just a few days.

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Last Friday (8 Oct), strong winds and rain brought by Tropical Storm Lionrock caused 30-storeys of scaffolding outside a building in Happy Valley to collapse, killing a female construction worker in the process.

At that time, the storm only had a No.3 warning. This was later increased to a No.8 over the weekend. When a storm warning is raised to No.8, it typically means that winds could reach at least 63km per hour.

Both the weather forecast agency and the Education bureau were reportedly criticised for not providing clearer instructions before the storm hit.

Including the one casualty, six people have been injured during this typhood period. Worse, Kompasu threatens to be more severe than Lionrock based on intensity forecasts.

Schools were closed yesterday (12 Oct), and it’s likely that trading will be affected for the whole of today.

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Videos of the major cyclone have since made their way online, with one showing a bus combating severely flooded streets.

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Shawn Ambrose
Email: shawn.ambrose@goodyfeed.com