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| Office workers rush to return home after T8 was raised after lunch time |
People in Hong Kong are on extreme alert as Typhoon Signal No 8 was raised at 2:20pm today with the approach of Super Typhoon Ragasa (Filipino word for rapid flow), which many experts say is stronger than Super Typhoon Mangkhut which devastated Hong Kong in 2018.
The fear is heightened by the Hong Kong Observatory’s announcement that it will consider raising the alert level to T9 or even T10 between 11pm tonight and 3am tomorrow.
According to the latest forecast, Ragasa which packs winds of up to 265 km per hour, will come closest to Hong Kong tomorrow morning, bringing with it stronger winds.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
Weather conditions are expected to rapidly
worsen overnight, with winds escalating swiftly. There will be frequent squally
showers, thunderstorms and gale to storm force winds, potentially reaching
hurricane level offshore and on elevated terrain.
There will be massive swells at sea starting
at 6am tomorrow, peaking later in the morning to early afternoon. The water
surge is expected to reach between 3.5 to 4 meters above normal levels.
The public is urged to stay away from
shorelines and avoid any water activities.
All classes have been suspended today
and tomorrow, but office workers were allowed to get off work after lunch
today. The MTR increased its services as the Observatory hoisted the T8 signal.
Residents have been clearing grocery shelves
and market stalls to stockpile on food in preparation for Ragasa’s onslaught.
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| The frantic food-buying has reached panic proportions in some households (Facebook photo) |
As what happens when a typhoon,
especially as strong as Ragasa, is forecast to hit Hong Kong, most buildings with
exposed glass windows or walls have been taped up in anticipation of the strong
winds.
Cars parked in open spaces have also
been covered with tapes and other coverings to prevent being hit by flying
debris.
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| Even cars have been taped up to protect them from flying debris (Facebook photo by Merz Permales) |
The MTR said it expects to continue
operating during signal 8, but would likely stop trains from running if higher
warning signals are raised.
So far, a total of 382 flights were
canceled today, with another 43 delayed, according to the Airport Authority.
If the storm intensifies, airport
authorities say they could stop all flights in and out of Hong Kong by
tomorrow.
