T10 up as Super Typhoon Saola moves closer to HK (Update)

Images taken by the Govt Flying Service show Saola has a double eyewall, suggesting super strength

The Observatory raised the T10 signal at about 8:15pm today, less than tw hours after it raised the t9 signal at 6:40pm, as Super Typhoon Saola moved to within six hours away from taking a direct hit on Hong Kong.

Gale-force winds and heavy rains have intensified within the 16 hours that T8 was hoisted, forcing schools and businesses to close down.

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According to the present forecast, Saola is on track to come closest to the territory around midnight, skirting to within 40 kilometres south of the Hong Kong Observatory.

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Forecasters warned areas that were previously sheltered from the strong winds may become exposed in the next few hours, and water levels will rise rapidly in low-lying areas due to a storm surge.

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They say water levels in some areas may even reach historic highs.

The areas that are expected to be worst hit are Sha Tin, Tai Po, Sha Tau Kok, and Sai Kung where flood waters could reach more than a meter high.

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"The water level in the eastern coastal waters of the territory will increase from around 9pm tonight. Among which, the water level at Tolo Harbour will reach a high water level of around six metres above chart datum near midnight, which is about four metres higher than the normal tide level,” said the Observatory.

Water levels in other coastal areas are also expected to rise significantly starting at around 6am tomorrow, Saturday. These include those around Victoria Harbour, where the water levels could rise 3 meters higher than the normal tide level, Tai O where the swell will go up by around 3.5 meters, and Lei Yue Mun where it will reach 1.5 meters higher.

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Members of the public are advised to remain indoors and take all necessary precautions like staying away from electric cables and glass windows and doors because they could shatter from the wind pressure, or if hit by a flying object.

The Education Bureau also said all announced that all schools will remain suspended on Saturday to ensure students' safety.

Over at the Hong Kong International Airport, hundreds of stranded passengers hunkered for the night, as all flights going in and out of the city were cancelled by mid-afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Government Flying Service (GFS) collected images that experts said indicated that Saola is very powerful and intense storm.

The storm’s double eyewall is said to be very tightly formed as to form an almost complete ring, signifying its powerful strength.

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T8 up across Hong Kong, higher signals likely

 

The Observatory's graph shows Saola on track to make a direct hit on HK 

The T8 signal was issued at 2:40 am today, Friday across Hong Kong, as Super Typhoon Saola began its approach towards the city.

The storm, which packs winds in excess of 200 kilometres per hour, is expected to come within 100 kilometres of the city tonight and early Saturday.

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Schools and offices will be closed throughout the day, and forecasters say higher signals might be raised later in the day.

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They also warn the weather will deteriorate significantly, with heavy showers and strong winds. There could also be serious flooding in low-lying coastal areas, as what happened when Super Typhoon Mangkhut scored a direct hit on the city in 2018.

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Most transport services have been suspended, except for the MTR which is still running at limited frequencies.

Many flights, especially those from this afternoon and tomorrow morning, have been cancelled. Passengers are advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport.

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Cathay Pacific said it is cancelling all arriving and departing flights between 2pm on Friday and 10am on Saturday. Further flight delays and cancellations may be required depending on the weather, said the flag carrier.

“If your flight is cancelled, or missed due to the delay, we’ll automatically rebook you onto the next available flight,” said Cathay on its website.

Hong Kong Express has already cancelled around 70 flights in and out of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong Airlines, around 30 flights.

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This morning, Saola was still wreaking havoc in the Philippines, causing extensive flooding in many parts of Luzon where classes and offices have been shut for the day.

All flights to and from Hong Kong have been cancelled by Philippine Airlines and Air Asia for the entire day, while Cathay will stop flights on the same route starting this afternoon.

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Residents stock up on food as govt poised to hoist T8

 

Supermarkets were mostly empty by late afternoon today

Residents rushed to empty shelves in supermarkets this afternoon after T3 signal was raised, and weather forecasters said it would be upgraded to T8 early tomorrow, hours before Super Typhoon Saola is expected to come closest to Hong Kong.

At an interdepartmental meeting called later on Thursday, the Hong Kong Observatory also said issuing a T10 signal was “possible” in line with the forecast of up to hurricane force winds blowing offshore and on high ground tomorrow.

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This means that the wind speed could reach 118 km per hour or above, and gusts may exceed 220 km per hour.

The Observatory Director Chan Pak-wai said Saola will be closest to the city from Friday night until Saturday morning, and warned that it could cause damage comparable to that wrought by super strong  typhoons Mangkhut and Hato.

Because of intermittent rain and dark clouds, the much-anticipated Super Blue Moon that was forecast to rise over Hong Kong  just before 7pm tonight was a no-show. 

The Super Blue Moon was a no-show as dark clouds covered the sky

Earlier today, the Education Bureau announced that classes in all school levels will be suspended on Friday as a precaution.

At the same time, Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki urged residents to take all necessary steps to protect themselves against Saola’s wrath. 

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Chan also urged employers to have regard for their employees’ safety during the typhoon, and adopt a flexible approach in requiring them to go to work.

He added that preparations were underway to evacuate residents in low-lying areas.

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The government pronouncements prompted residents to rush to markets and groceries to stock up on food and other supplies.

By early afternoon, most supermarket shelves were cleared of vegetables, noodles and other basic necessities, and residents began preparing to hunker down in preparation for Saola’s onslaught.

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The super typhoon has caused widespread flooding and school closures in the Philippines and travel cancellations in Taiwan, but no deaths or injuries have been reported.

Any enquiries about the typhoon, including the locations of 29 temporary typhoon shelters that were opened starting at 8pm tonight, may be directed to the Home Affairs Department through its emergency hotline, 2572 8427.

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Pilipino, umaming nagbenta ng nakaw na singsing

 

Malalaman ang parusa ng Pilipino sa Sept. 13.

Isang Pilipino ang umamin kanina sa District Court na siya ay nagbenta siya ng isang nakaw na singsing na brilyante na may halagang $34,500 at kumita ng $1,000 mula dito, pero ipinagpaliban ang pagpataw ng parusa sa kanya.

Si Edwin Zuniga, 49 taong gulang, at dating nagtrabaho bilang manager sa isang bar, ay isa sa dalawang akusado sa kasong dininig ni Deputy District Judge Edmund Wong. 

Isang kaso ang isinampa laban sa kay Zuniga, samantalang apat pang kaso ang iniharap kay Cheung Wai Yee, ang babaeng pinagkunan niya ng singsing.

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Ayon sa charge sheet, may isang babae na nagbenta ng singsing sa social media sa halagang $34,500, at binili ito ni Cheung, na nagdeposito ng hinihinging halaga sa bank account ng may-ari. 

Nang makita ng may-ari sa internet na pumasok na ang deposito, ibinigay niya ang singsing kay Cheung. Pero kinabukasan, tumawag ang kanyang bangko upang sabihing tumalbog ang tsekeng ginamit ni Cheung na pambayad.

Matapos magreklamo ang may-ari sa pulis, nahuli ang dalawang akusado.

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Si Zuniga ay nakita sa CCTV (closed circuit television) na binebenta ang singsing na binili ni Cheung sa isang shop sa halagang $18,000.

Tanggap ng abogado ni Zuniga ang dalawang taon na pagkabilanggo bilang basehan ng parusa sa Pilipino. Dahil sa pag-amin niya, siguradong mababawasan ito ng 1/3.

Pero tinutulan nito ang sinabi ng taga-usig na dapat madagdagan pa ang parusa ni Zuniga dahil ginawa niya ang krimen habang naka-piyansa pa siya habang iniimbestigahan ng mga pulis ang dalawa pang naunang kaso laban sa kanya. 

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Ang idiniin ng abogado ni Zuniga ay hindi pa siya pormal na kinakasuhan sa korte kaya hindi pa niya alam ang tunay na akusasyon laban sa kanya,.

Pero sinabi ng taga-usig na sa ilang nakaraang desisyon ng korte, ang prinsipyong sinundan ay hindi kung makakabigat sa isang krimen ang paglabag sa police bail, kundi kung anong bigat ang idadagdag nito.

Dahil hindi magkasundo ang dalawang panig, sinabi ni Judge Wong na kailangan niyang pag-aralan pang muli ang dapat niyang ihatol bago basahan ng sentensiya si Zuniga sa Sept. 13.

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Ibinalik si Zuniga sa kulungan hanggang sa susunod na pagdinig ng kanyang kaso.

Samantala, ang kapwa akusado niya na si Cheung ay wala sa korte kanina.

Inakusahan siya ng mga sumusunod:

• Pakikisabwatan sa panloloko upang makuha ang singsing na nagsangkot kay Zuniga sa kaso.
• Paghawak at pagbenta ng isang nakaw na handbag.
• Pakikisabwatan sa panloloko sa may-ari ng isang relo na nagkakahalaga ng $118,000, sa pamamagitan ng talbog na tseke.
• Pakikisabwatan sa panloloko sa may-ari ng tatlong mobile phone na nagkakahalaga ng $29,500 na gamit ang talbog na tseke, at pagsingil pa ng $9,900 na umano'y sobrang ibinayad sa kanya.

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DOJ suspends travel guidelines for Filipinos after Senate move

Long lines like this at Immigration could worsen under the revised rules 

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has suspended the implementation of revised travel guidelines for Filipinos leaving the country, after the Senate passed resolutions halting them.

The new travel rules, which were supposed to take effect on September 3, were widely criticized  by the public, including lawmakers who raised concerns about their constitutionality.

One of the resolutions passed Wednesday authorized Senate President Migs Zubiri to file a petition with the Supreme Court to stop the implementation of the guidelines.

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In a statement, Zubiri said the regulations which were crafted by the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) and were due to be implemented by the DOJ through the Immigration Bureau, infringed on the Filipinos’ constitutional right to travel.

“I truly feel, deep in my heart, it is unconstitutional,” Zubiri said in his privilege speech.

But in its press release earlier today, the DOJ said the revised rules were not meant to burden travellers and aimed only to “enhance the overall experience of departing passengers.”

The DOJ said it remains “dedicated to upholding the rights and welfare of all individuals, including the right to travel freely.”

Separately, DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla said that he has “has deemed it necessary to thoroughly clarify the issues surrounding the revised guidelines to both the senators and the public.”

“[W]e decided best to suspend the rules first so that we can clarify the issues when the Senate hearings are called so that we can explain,” Remulla said.

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He added all existing rules and guidelines remain in place until further notice.

The DOJ and IACAT released a copy of the revised guidelines on August 22, which were supposedly meant to  protect human trafficking victims, after a number of Filipinos who left as tourists ended up working for scam syndicates in Myanmar and Cambodia.

However, the same thing happened to a number of Hong Kong citizens, and the government’s response here was to immediately rescue the victims, and set up hotlines for residents to call if they encounter trouble abroad.

Also, Immigration data cited by Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva showed that out of the 32,404 Filipino workers who were stopped from leaving in 2022, only 472 or 1.46 percent were found to be victims of human trafficking.

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“We understand that the IACAT’s intent in the issuance of the Guidelines is to mitigate trafficking. But imagine the possibility of offloading 98.54 percent of Filipinos? Hindi po ito ‘margin of error’,” Villanueva said Wednesday.

Zubiri, on the other hand, said there ought to be a better way to protect Filipino travellers without impeding their right to travel.

The guidelines were also met with criticisms by the general public, with many saying that the additional documents listed down for Filipinos leaving abroad, whether as tourists or overseas workers, would result in longer lines at the airport.

Under the revised rules, an immigration officer can ask a Filipino traveling as a tourist to show proof of financial capacity, and if sponsored by a relative (except by a spouse, parent or child), to provide an affidavit of support notarized by the relevant Philippine consulate or embassy abroad, and other documentary proof proving their relationship.

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If sponsored by an immediate family member, the traveller must produce an original copy of a birth or marriage certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority to prove their relationship.

For OFWs, apart from the overseas employment certificate (OEC) issued by the relevant authorities they may still be asked to show proof of their current employment, like an employment visa and contract.

The DOJ and the Bureau of Immigration said earlier that the revised guidelines did not impose new requirements but only listed down the documents that need to be presented to Immigration officers.

Remulla also claimed that only a small portion of the passengers, like two to three percent, would be affected. 

For the remaining 97%, he said they will only be asked to show basic requirements, like a passport with at least six months’ validity, a return air ticket for tourists, a visa if required, and proof of accommodation.

Despite the suspension of the revised rules’ implementation, Remulla said these basic guidelines will still have to be followed.

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Abangan ang 'Super Blue Moon' sa HK bukas ng gabi

 

Mas pula, imbes asul, ang kulay ng malaking buwan na makikita simula bukas ng 7pm

Bukas, Huwebes, bandang 7pm dito sa Hong Kong, ay may kakaibang tanawin na masisilayan sa langit, at ito ang Super Blue Moon na kasabay ang isang total lunar eclipse.

Ano ang ibig sabihin nito? Una, ang supermoon ay ang pagkakaroon ng full moon sa eksaktong araw na pinakamalapit ang buwan sa Earth o mundo, dahilan para makita ito nang higit na malaki at maliwanag sa normal.

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Ang blue moon naman ay hindi nangangahulugan na nagkukulay asul ang buwan, kundi ito ay tawag sa pagkakaroon ng pangalawang full moon sa iisang buwan, na mangyayari simula bukas at tatagal hanggang sa Biyernes ng umaga. 

Ang unang full moon sa Agosto ay noong August 2.

Nangyayari lang ito nang minsan sa tuwing ikalawa at kalahating taon, kaya nagkaroon ng katagang “once in a blue moon” na ang ibig sabihin ay kaganapan na bihirang mangyari.

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Sa katunayan, mas malamang na mapula ang buwan na makikita bukas ng gabi dahil magkakaroon din ng total lunar eclipse – isang kakaibang pangyayari kung kailan ang mundo, araw at buwan ay nasa iisang linya, dahilan para matakpan ng mundo ang liwanag na nagmumula sa araw kaya ang buwan ay nagiging mapula ang hitsura.

Samakatuwid, ang makikita bukas ng gabi ay isang napakaki, napakaliwanag at mapula-pulang buwan.

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Bagamat ang super blue moon ay mag-uumpisang maganap ng 9:36am bukas, mag-uumpisa lang itong makita sa Hong Kong ng 7:07pm, pagkatapos lumitaw ang buwan sa bandang silangan.

Ayon sa Royal Observatory ng United Kingdom, ang ganitong tagpo kung kailan makikita nang sabay-sabay ang Super Blue Moon at Total Lunar Eclipse ay unang magaganap bukas, pagkatapos ng 152 taon.

Sabi naman ng HK Observatory, hindi na muli makakakita ang Blue Moon sa mundo hanggang sa May 31, 2026.

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Dagdag pa nito, ang super blue moon eclipse ay makikita sa buong Hong Kong, lalo na sa bandang silangan, simula 6:49 ng gabi bukas, hanggang 12:09 ng umaga ng Biyernes.

May mga telescope na itatayo bukas sa Central at Western District Promenade, Kowloon Park Piazza at Shatin Park Main Plaza para makita ng publiko ang kakaibang tanawin na ito nang libre ngayong gabi.

Sakaling hindi makalabas ay maari itong panoorin ng live sa website ng Hong Kong Observatory.

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