Hong Kong on high alert for Super Typhoon Saola threatening southern China

Hong Kong decreed this Friday maximum alert before the arrival of the super typhoon saola that forced tens of millions of people to seek refuge in several megacities in the south of China and that it threatens to become the most powerful storm to devastate the region in several decades.

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Hundreds of flights were canceled throughout the region, the start of the school year was postponed in Hong Kongthe streets of this global financial center were deserted and the city of Shenzhen it opened shelters for the population and announced that it will suspend public transportation.

He China National Meteorological Center projected that saola may become the typhoon”More powerful” recorded in the Pearl River Delta since 1949.

This Chinese lowland region includes Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Macao.

The meteorological observatory Hong Kong decreed maximum alert, a known warning level “T10″, which before this Friday had only been registered 16 times since the Second World War.

Debris caused by strong winds brought by Super Typhoon Saola blows onto a street in Causeway Bay in Hong Kong on September 1, 2023. (Photo by Mladen ANTONOV / AFP) (MLADEN ANTONOV/)

He observatory warned that the winds can reach 118 kilometers per hour or more, with gusts of up to 220 km / h.

“Do not go outside and stay away from doors and windows that are exposed. Make sure you have a safe place to hide”, warned the observatory.

It is expected that saola arrive in the city around midnight on Friday (16H00 GMT).

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Risk of severe flooding

the streets of Hong Kong they woke up almost deserted and the merchants tried to protect their stores by putting masking tape on the windows. For their part, residents claimed that they had run out of frozen food and vegetables.

In the international financial center, the trading session was suspended and schools delayed the start of the school year.

“I hope that we can safeguard the necessary tools for our business, such as refrigerators. We raised them so that the water would not damage the appliances”, recounted a restaurant manager who identified himself as read in a testimony to local television.

In Heng Fa Chuena coastal suburb in eastern Hong Kong, which suffered devastation after the passage of the typhoon mangkhut in 2018, some officials in orange vests urged onlookers who wanted to see the storm to return to their homes, amid the gale that shook the trees.

People use umbrellas to protect themselves from the rain caused by Super Typhoon Saola next to Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong on September 1, 2023. (Photo by ISAAC LAWRENCE / AFP)

The meteorological observatory Hong Kong warned that saola can cause dizzy spells.

“The maximum water level can reach a historical record (…) There will be severe floodingthe depth of the rise of the waters in some areas can be more than one meter”, the meteorological observatory said.

On the other bank of the delta of the river pearls, macauknown for its casinos, issued its third most severe typhoon warning in mid-afternoon.

In Shenzhena city of 17.7 million people in mainland chinadecreed the suspension of work activity, the closure of businesses from 4:00 p.m. (08:00 GMT) and three hours later, public transport closed.

The province of guangdong suspended trains until Saturday night and the emergency agency responsible for responding to the risk of flooding raised the alert level to the second highest.

A car drives near a tree uprooted by strong winds brought by Super Typhoon Saola in Causeway Bay in Hong Kong on September 1, 2023. (Photo by Mladen ANTONOV / AFP) (MLADEN ANTONOV/)

“It will affect our life”, assured wu wenlai43, who runs a restaurant in a suburb of Shenzhen which had to close.

“People rush to stock up on food at the last minute“, said lu yimingowner of a store in this city, an important technological hub.

Hundreds of flights were cancelled. Starting at 2:00 p.m. locally, flights departing or ending “they were basically canceledthe airport authority said.

Trains going in and out of Canton they will also be suspended from this Friday until Saturday afternoon.

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more intense typhoons

He climate change Tropical storm intensity has increased, with more rain and stronger gusts causing flash flooding and coastal damage, experts say.

saola prompted the evacuation of thousands of people this week as it passed through northern Philippinesbut no casualties have been reported for now.

south of China It is regularly hit in summer and autumn by typhoons that form in the warm waters east of Philippines and travel west.

Although they can cause disturbances in cities like Hong Kongfatalities are now rare due to improvements in construction methods and flood management systems.

Source: Elcomercio