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Gulf Today
5 days ago
- Gulf Today
Typhoon Wipha topples trees, causes major flight disruptions in Hong Kong and China
Typhoon Wipha toppled trees and caused major flight disruptions on Sunday in Hong Kong and at some nearby airports in China as it moved west off the southern coast of the country. Airports in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and the casino hub of Macao canceled or postponed flights for most of the day, according to their websites. Hong Kong grounded at least 400 flights, affecting around 80,000 passengers, broadcaster RTHK said. Some high-speed train services were also suspended. Collapsed bamboo scaffolds of a residential building are seen as Typhoon Wipha approaches in Hong Kong. Reuters The typhoon stayed just offshore until about 6 p.m., when it made landfall in a coastal area of Taishan city in Guangdong province, China's National Meteorological Center said. It then weakened to a severe tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 108 kph (67 mph). A man struggles with an umbrella while walking against strong wind, as Typhoon Wipha approaches, in Hong Kong. Reuters Earlier on Sunday, the Hong Kong Observatory issued a hurricane signal No. 10, its highest warning. The eye of the storm passed just south of the city around midday with maximum sustained winds of 140 kph (87 mph), the observatory said. The high winds brought down trees in Zhuhai and other cities on China's southern coast. Workers dismantle a toppled electrical post in Quezon city, Philippines due to torrential winds. AP In Hong Kong, vehicles weaved around branches strewn on the streets. The government said that it had received more than 450 reports of fallen trees and that 26 people had sought medical treatment at public hospitals. A statement didn't provide details on any injuries. More than 250 people had sought refuge in public shelters, the statement said. Hong Kong Disneyland and other amusement parks were closed. Two women brace themselves against strong winds in Central district in Hong Kong. AFP The storm, which reached typhoon strength overnight, later passed off Macao and was forecast to make landfall on China's coast late Sunday. It is expected to reach Vietnam later this week. Wipha, which is a Thai name, passed over the Philippines at tropical storm strength and drenched parts of Taiwan on Saturday. Names for typhoons in the western Pacific are chosen by the countries in the region. Workers brave strong winds as Typhoon Wipha approaches in Hong Kong. Reuters In the Philippines, the storm intensified seasonal monsoon rains, leaving at least one villager dead in floodwaters in northern Cagayan province. Outbound travellers wait for the Airport Express train to resume service to the Hong Kong international airport. AFP More than 370,000 people have been affected by days of stormy weather, including 43,000 who fled to government-run emergency shelters or homes of relatives because of flooding, landslides and fierce winds. More than 400 houses were damaged, officials said. Elsewhere in Asia, five days of torrential rain in South Korea has left 14 people dead and 12 others missing, the government said on Sunday. Associated Press
Gulf Today
5 days ago
- Gulf Today
28 dead, dozens missing as tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam
At least 28 people have died and more than a dozen are missing after a tourist boat ferrying families around Vietnam's famed Ha Long Bay capsized on Saturday, state media said. 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 Dan Tri news site said. Most of those on board were families visiting from the capital Hanoi, with more than 20 children among the passengers, a report on the VNExpress news site. "Border guards rescued 12 people and recovered 18 bodies," it added. Rescue efforts were set to continue into the night to find the dozens still missing. Relief personnel gather around a capsized tourist boat (L) during a search and rescue operation in the Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh province. AFP 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. Tran Trong Hung, a resident in the Ha Long Bay area told AFP: "The sky turned dark at around 2 pm." There were "hailstones as big as toes with torrential rain, thunderstorm and lightning", he said. This image from a video provided by QDND shows people on a rescue boat after their tourist boat capsized in Ha Long Bay. AP Torrential rain also lashed northern Hanoi, Thai Nguyen and Bac Ninh provinces on Saturday. In the capital Hanoi, 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. Earlier this month, a ferry sank off the popular Indonesian resort island of Bali, killing at least 18 people. Agence France-Presse
Gulf Today
5 days ago
- Gulf Today
37 tourists confirmed dead in cruise ship accident in Vietnam
A total of 47 people have been recovered, including 10 survivors and 37 confirmed dead, after a cruise ship capsized in Ha Long Bay, northern Vietnam, Vietnam News Agency reported on Sunday. The wreck was salvaged and towed ashore on early on Sunday morning for further investigation. The ship sank on Saturday afternoon while carrying 48 Vietnamese tourists on a sightseeing tour. Five crew members were also on board. Authorities in Quang Ninh province deployed four large vessels and core rescue forces to support the salvage operation. Rescue teams are now racing to search for missing people as Typhoon Wipha is approaching the area. The tourist boat (C) that capsized is towed back to the port in Ha Long bay, Quang Ninh province, on Sunday. AFP Despite a calm sea, rescuers, from police and border guards to divers and navy personnel, were battling limited visibility hours before the expected landfall in northern Vietnam of Typhoon Wipha, which is now approaching Hong Kong. The government said rescuers had managed to retrieve the sunken boat and revised down the death toll to 35 from an initial 38 on Saturday, while cutting an estimate of those aboard to 49 from 53, though officials fear the toll could still rise. All the tourists aboard were Vietnamese, including several children, the official Vietnam News Agency said. "My brother can swim, but I was told everything happened too fast," Tran Trung Tu, 39, whose sibling was 32, told Reuters at a funeral parlour on Sunday. The accident was one of the worst in recent years in the UNESCO-protected archipelago of thousands of limestone islands about 200 km (125 miles) northeast of Hanoi, which draws tens of thousands of visitors each year. The sudden thunderstorm turned the sky dark in a matter of minutes, felling trees in the capital of Hanoi, where officials at the Noi Bai international airport said nine flights were diverted and three departures temporarily halted. "It is the first time I have experienced an accident with so many casualties here," said insurance agent Do Thi Thuy. A tour boat sank in Halong Bay in 2011, killing 12, with some foreign tourists among them. The government said the accident was caused by a "sudden" storm. Strong winds, heavy rain and lightning were reported around the time of the event, at 2 p.m. on Saturday. "I was told life vests were available, but it was too sudden," said Do Van Hai, 42, a Halong resident. "Hopefully, the missing ones will be found soon." Agencies
