Storm Pakhar hits Hong Kong & Macau

Tropical storm Pakhar brought strong winds and heavy rain to Hong Kong and Macau on Sunday, just four days after one of the strongest typhoons on record, Hato, caused serious flooding and damage in the territories and killed at least 10 people in the gaming hub. Pakhar brushed passed both cities on Sunday morning and landed in the southern Chinese city of Taishan, according to local weather authorities. 

Macau will lower the typhoon signal at 1 pm local time while Hong Kong is considering the same. Both cities issued their third-highest weather warnings, storm signal Number 8, early on the day as winds intensified and heavy rain lashed down, churning up rough seas and prompting alerts of flooding in low-lying areas.
 

No serious damage has been observed in Hong Kong so far. The government said it has received three reports of flooding and 85 reports of fallen trees.

Hong Kong’s weather observatory said winds occasionally reached storm force in the southern part of the territory and hurricane force on high ground on Lantau Island to the west of the city where the airport is situated.

Pakhar’s arrival comes as the cities are still reeling from Hato. While Hong Kong escaped major damage, Hato devastated Macau, the world’s largest gambling hub, killing at least 10 people, injuring 244 and exposing critical infrastructure flaws after it left the city without water and power for days.

“With Pakhar making landfall and departing Hong Kong, local winds are expected to moderate progressively. However, under the influence of Pakhar’s rainbands, high winds are still affecting the southwestern part of Hong Kong,” said the Hong Kong Observatory, the territory’s weather forecasting agency.

The maximum sustained winds recorded at Cheung Chau and Chek Lap Kok slowed to 87 and 61 kilometres per hour, respectively, from 114 and 76 kilometres per hour (71 and 47 miles per hour) earlier.