(Eagle News) – Super typhoon Mangkhut lashed Hong Kong which placed the whopper hurricane at signal no. 10, the highest local hurricane signal, which will remain in force until Sunday afternoon, Sept. 16, according to the Hong Kong Observatory.
Mangkhut, with maximum gusts recorded at 232 kilometers per hour, continues to move steadily towards the coast of western Guangdong and poses a severe threat to Hong Kong, according to the Observatory’s latest advisory. Mangkhut barreled towards Hong Kong after battering Northern Luzon in the Philippines late Friday (Sept. 14) and Saturday (Sept. 15) leaving in its wake massive destruction and at least 24 fatalities.
“According to the present forecast track, Mangkhut will be closest to the Pearl River Delta in the next few hours, skirting within about 100 kilometres to the south of Hong Kong. The Hurricane Signal, No. 10 will remain in force in the afternoon,” its latest advisory apdated at 12:45 p.m. said.
“The circulation of Mangkhut is extensive and destructive storm to hurricane force winds are affecting Hong Kong. In the past hour, the maximum sustained winds recorded at Tate’s Cairn, Waglan Island and Tai Mei Tuk were 175, 161 and 153 kilometres per hour with maximum gusts 232, 195 and 198 kilometres per hour respectively,” it said.
The Hong Kong Observatory said that Mangkhut’s “intense rainbands are affecting Hong Kong, bringing frequent squalls and heavy rain.”
“Sea will be phenomenal with swells. Members of the public should stay on high alert,” it said.
The Observatory has also raised the rainstorm warning signal to “red” at 10:55 a.m. today, Sunday, Sept. 16.
“The Rainstorm Warning Signal is now Red. This means that heavy rain has fallen or is expected to fall generally over Hong Kong, exceeding 50 millimeters in an hour, and is likely to continue,” the Hong Kong Observatory’s advisory said.
Forecasters said that “under the influence of the storm surge, a high water level of about 3.5 meters or more above the chart datum is expected at the Victoria Harbor between noon and 4 p.m. today.”
The Observatory said that a high water level of about 4.5 meters above the chart datum has already been recorded at the Tolo Harbour and “there is (a) rising trend.”
It said that the high water level together with the heavy rain will cause severe flooding in low-lying areas.
“The Observatory makes a special appeal to the members of the public to stay in safe place indoor, and not to go outside,” it said.
The Observatory also expects the hurricane to “weaken slightly tonight.”
-Powerful winds shake buildings-
Residents in Hong Kong saw how the hurricane Mangkhut shook Hong Kong’s high-rise buildings.
Dulce Octaviano from Kowloon district said that in her 10 years of being in Hong Kong, this was the first time that she witnessed such a powerful hurricane.
“Sobrang lakas po hangin marami po mga salamin sa mga building nabasag po (The wind was so strong that many glass panes in many building were shattered),” she said.
“Halos mag-ten years na po ako dito. Ngayon ko lang po ito naramdaman gumagalaw po ang mga building (In my stay of almost 10 years here, this is the only time that I witnessed buildings being shaken [by the wind]),” she said.
Octaviano said that she felt the strong howling wind starting 7 a.m., but when hurricane signal was raised to 10, even their television signals were lost.
(Eagle News Service)