Hong Kong issues highest storm alert as typhoon Wipha moves in
The Hong Kong Observatory lifted the signal to No.10 at 9.20am local time. Wipha is expected to pass the city about 50 kilometres to the south, with wind speeds of 118 kilometres an hour, the weather agency said on its website. The maximum alert, which was last issued in 2023, is set to remain in force for 'some time', it said.
All flights scheduled to arrive at or depart from the Hong Kong International Airport between 5am and 6pm were either delayed or cancelled, Cathay said in a statement. The company will rebook alternatives for affected customers.
Airport Authority Hong Kong said on its website that operations are expected to be affected by the typhoon and that it has activated its emergency centre. The Education Bureau suspended all special classes and other school events on Sunday.
In neighbouring Macau, the government planned to raise its alert to the No.10 signal at 12.30pm local time, according to the Government Information Bureau's website. Major hotels in the city including the Venetian, the Parisian, the Londoner and the Four Seasons plan to remain open.
Hong Kong last raised its No.10 signal in September 2023 when it was pummelled by Typhoon Saola, which caused flooding across the territory.
The city's stock exchange ended its decades-old tradition of shutting during storms of signal No.8 or above last year. The practice had become increasingly questioned during the pandemic, when widespread work-from-home setups showed little hindrance to trading.
In Vietnam, 38 people died in Halong Bay, in the northern part of the country after a boat capsized on Saturday afternoon amid bad weather, according to a post on the Vietnamese government's website.
Dozens of flights were cancelled and rerouted as the storm was forecast to hit Vietnam's northern provinces from Quang Ninh to Thanh Hoa, according to a separate post on the government's website.
The Philippines' government, meanwhile, warned heavy rains of up to 200 millimetres may persist until Tuesday in the main island of Luzon. Three people were left dead by the storm, three are missing, while more than 370,000 persons were affected.
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Bangkok Post
17 hours ago
- Bangkok Post
Hong Kong issues highest storm alert as typhoon Wipha moves in
Hong Kong raised its storm alert to the highest level as tropical cyclone Wipha moved closer, with Cathay Pacific Airways delaying and cancelling flights in and out of the city on Sunday. The Hong Kong Observatory lifted the signal to No.10 at 9.20am local time. Wipha is expected to pass the city about 50 kilometres to the south, with wind speeds of 118 kilometres an hour, the weather agency said on its website. The maximum alert, which was last issued in 2023, is set to remain in force for 'some time', it said. All flights scheduled to arrive at or depart from the Hong Kong International Airport between 5am and 6pm were either delayed or cancelled, Cathay said in a statement. The company will rebook alternatives for affected customers. Airport Authority Hong Kong said on its website that operations are expected to be affected by the typhoon and that it has activated its emergency centre. The Education Bureau suspended all special classes and other school events on Sunday. In neighbouring Macau, the government planned to raise its alert to the No.10 signal at 12.30pm local time, according to the Government Information Bureau's website. Major hotels in the city including the Venetian, the Parisian, the Londoner and the Four Seasons plan to remain open. Hong Kong last raised its No.10 signal in September 2023 when it was pummelled by Typhoon Saola, which caused flooding across the territory. The city's stock exchange ended its decades-old tradition of shutting during storms of signal No.8 or above last year. The practice had become increasingly questioned during the pandemic, when widespread work-from-home setups showed little hindrance to trading. In Vietnam, 38 people died in Halong Bay, in the northern part of the country after a boat capsized on Saturday afternoon amid bad weather, according to a post on the Vietnamese government's website. Dozens of flights were cancelled and rerouted as the storm was forecast to hit Vietnam's northern provinces from Quang Ninh to Thanh Hoa, according to a separate post on the government's website. The Philippines' government, meanwhile, warned heavy rains of up to 200 millimetres may persist until Tuesday in the main island of Luzon. Three people were left dead by the storm, three are missing, while more than 370,000 persons were affected.
Bangkok Post
18 hours ago
- Bangkok Post
Heavy rain forecast for Thailand's eastern, southern provinces
The Meteorological Department on Sunday issued a warning of heavy to very heavy rain in four provinces — Chanthaburi, Trat, Ranong and Phangnga — over the coming days due to intensified monsoon conditions. The department also advised residents in parts of the central and northeastern regions to be cautious of localised downpours and potential flash flooding, particularly in low-lying areas and near hillsides or watercourses. The warning follows a strengthening of the southwesterly monsoon over the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. Mariners are urged to exercise extreme caution as sea conditions are expected to worsen. Waves in the upper Andaman Sea could reach 2–4 metres, and over 4 metres in stormy areas. The lower Andaman Sea and upper Gulf of Thailand are forecast to experience wave heights of 2–3 metres, with over 3 metres possible in areas with thunderstorms. Small boats in these regions are advised to remain ashore until conditions improve. In addition to the monsoon-driven weather, authorities are monitoring Tropical Storm Wipha, currently positioned over the upper South China Sea. As of Sunday morning, the storm's centre was approximately 560 kilometres east of Zhanjiang, China's southern port city. The storm is moving west-northwestward and is expected to enter the Gulf of Tonkin before making landfall in northern Vietnam by Monday or Tuesday.
Bangkok Post
20 hours ago
- Bangkok Post
Tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam's Ha Long Bay, leaving 34 dead
HANOI - A tourist boat ferrying families around Vietnam's Ha Long Bay capsized in a storm on Saturday afternoon, leaving at least 34 people dead, according to state media reports, as rescuers scrambled to locate the missing. The vessel was carrying 48 passengers and five crew members when it capsized in the UNESCO World Heritage site because of sudden heavy rain, the VNExpress news site said. Most of those on board were families visiting from the capital Hanoi, with more than 20 children among the passengers, it said. "Border guards rescued 11 people and recovered 34 bodies," it added. Rescue efforts were set to continue into the night to find the eight still missing. Ha Long Bay office worker Tran Trong Hung told AFP the storm started in the afternoon. "The sky turned dark at around 2 pm (0700 GMT)," he said. There were "hailstones as big as toes with torrential rain, thunderstorm and lightning", he said. One of the rescued, a 10-year-old boy, told state media outlet VietnamNet: "I took a deep breath, swam through a gap, dived, then swam up. I even shouted for help, then I was pulled up by a boat with soldiers." Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh sent his condolences to the families of the deceased and called on the defense and public security ministries to conduct urgent search and rescue. Authorities would "investigate and clarify the cause of the incident and strictly handle violations", a statement on the government website said. Torrential rain also lashed northern Hanoi, Thai Nguyen and Bac Ninh provinces on Saturday. In the capital about 175 kilometres (110 miles) away, several trees were knocked down by strong winds. The storm followed three days of intense heat, with the mercury hitting 37 degrees Celsius in some areas. Mai Van Khiem, director of the National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, was quoted in VNExpress as saying that the thunderstorms in northern Vietnam were not caused by the influence of Tropical Storm Wipha in the South China Sea. Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam's most popular tourist destinations, with millions of people visiting its blue-green waters and rainforest-topped limestone islands each year. Last year, 30 vessels sank at boat lock areas in coastal Quang Ninh province along Ha Long Bay after Typhoon Yagi brought strong wind and waves.
