Hong Kong was hit by a huge storm named Super Typhoon Ragasa, which struck the city on Wednesday with extremely dangerous winds and lots of rain. The storm has the highest winds of any storm this year, up to 200 kilometres per hour. The entire city was forced to shut down, and over 700 airplane flights were interrupted because it was unsafe to fly.
Hong Kong issued its strongest storm warning on Tuesday evening, so nearly all offices, shops, and buses were forced to shut down. The storm moved approximately 100 kilometres from Hong Kong at dawn on Wednesday, yet it still generated gigantic waves that pounded the shore. Weather officials announced the sea would be very bumpy with enormous waves pounding the shore, particularly on the city’s east and south sides.
People Buy Lots of Food Before Storm Arrives
When people learned that a large storm was approaching, they rushed to supermarkets to purchase food and water. Stores sold out of items because so many customers were shopping at the same time. Some waited in line for hours to purchase items they needed, fearing that stores would remain closed for two days during the storm.
People also tape their windows to attempt to prevent the glass from shattering if the powerful winds hit them. The city also opened up 49 safe shelters where individuals could seek shelter during the storm, and 727 individuals visited these shelters to remain safe. Meteorologists warned that water from the ocean would come up very high, perhaps even up to four metres, which might flood some coastal areas.
Storm Also Damages Other Locations in China
This perilous storm will remain extremely powerful as it travels to other regions of China and Taiwan. It already passed through the Philippines on Monday and is headed to the coast of Guangdong province in China sometime on Wednesday. Chinese authorities relocated over 770,000 individuals from hazardous locations to protect them from the storm.
The city of Macau, just outside Hong Kong, also issued its top storm warning at dawn on Wednesday. Despite the terrible weather, Hong Kong’s stock market chose to remain open because they modified its regulations a year ago so that they would continue to operate regardless of what type of weather occurred. This illustrates how these large storms can impact millions of individuals in countless countries and create significant issues when whole cities need to close down.
FAQs
1. How quickly were the winds in this storm?
The winds were as high as 200 kilometres per hour, which is extremely dangerous.
2. Did Hong Kong shut down everything during the storm?
Yes, nearly all businesses, transport, and flights had to be closed due to the risk.
3. How many individuals visited safe shelters?
Approximately 727 people took refuge in the 49 emergency shelters the city arranged.
4. Where else did this storm impact?
The storm also impacted the Philippines and will impact areas of China, Taiwan, and Macau.
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