The weather observatory in Hong Kong announced its second-highest alert for Super Typhoon Saola, which is currently on track to become the biggest storm to hit southern China in decades.
The Hong Kong Observatory advised people not to venture outside on Friday, to avoid exposing doors and windows, as well as seek safe cover. Tens of millions of people are in the line of the powerful storm.
Wind speeds at Saola reached 220 kilometers per hour (135 miles per hour).
The weather will “deteriorate rapidly” throughout the day, according to the observatory, raising the prospect of major flooding in low-lying coastal locations. The public was likewise urged not to approach the shoreline.
As reported by Al Jazeera weather presenter Jeff Harrington, hazardous storm surges of from one to three meters (3-10 feet) were forecast.
Typhoon Saola Will Landfall in Coastal Area to Hong Kong
On the Chinese mainland, state media said that Typhoon Saola will make landfall “in coastal areas stretching from Huilai to Hong Kong” on Friday evening.
Guangdong province has also issued a windstorm emergency level I, the most severe level of response.
According to the state-run Global Times, China’s National Meteorological Centre declared a red alert and stated more than 100,000 people had been evacuated in eastern China’s Fujian province prior to the typhoon’s arrival.
As a measure of precaution, numerous Chinese towns delayed the start of the school year, as well as China Railway Guangzhou Group said roughly 4,000 trains were shut down between Thursday and Sunday, according to state television CCTV.
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Canceled Flights Into and Out of Hong Kong
Cathay Pacific announced the cancellation of all flights into and out of Hong Kong during 06:00 GMT Friday and 02:00 GMT Saturday. HK Express, a low-cost carrier, also announced the cancellation of 70 Friday as well as Saturday flights into and out of Hong Kong.
According to state news agency Xinhua, China’s transport ministry has deployed 16 rescue-and-salvage ships and nine rescue helicopters to storm-hit areas.
On Wednesday, Saola passed just south of Taiwan before heading to mainland China, with the storm’s outer bands dumping torrential rain on the island’s southern cities.
Although Saola displaced hundreds as it moved across the northern Philippines, no direct casualties have been documented.
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