Typhoon Wipha hits mainland China after disrupting travel in Hong Kong
Typhoon Wipha — which started as a tropical storm and was declared a typhoon overnight — brought 'heavy squally showers,' high sea swells and maximum sustained winds of 62 mph to Hong Kong by Sunday afternoon, the territory's Weather Observatory said.
By early evening, China's meteorological agency said Wipha had made landfall in southern Guangdong province, weakening as it moved west. But Hong Kong's Weather Observatory warned residents to stay on alert for its potential aftereffect, including 'gale to storm force southeasterly winds' and high sea swells.
In Hong Kong, the South China Morning Post reported that 253 people sought refuge in government shelters and 26 went to public hospitals for medical treatment because of the storm. The SCMP said there were 471 reports of fallen trees, with photos showing one that had crushed a car.
Hong Kong's Hospital Authority said it canceled all services at its general outpatient clinics.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong's flagship carrier, Cathay Pacific, said it delayed or canceled all inbound flights before 6 p.m. Sunday. In an early-evening update, it said it expected to resume departing flights once adverse weather subsided.
Hong Kong International Airport said it suspended its SkyPier Terminal service connecting Hong Kong with several Chinese cities and Macao.
Classes were canceled at schools, and Hong Kong Disneyland closed because of the storm.
Wipha made landfall in Taishan, a city in the southwest of Guangdong province, around 5:50 p.m. Sunday, according to China's National Meteorological Center. Shortly after it landed, it weakened from typhoon strength to a strong tropical storm, the agency said, adding that Wipha was expected to gradually weaken as it moved along the western coast of Guangdong, before making another landfall on the northern coast of Vietnam late Monday.
Earlier on Sunday, Wipha prompted Hong Kong's Weather Observatory to issue its highest warning level, a Hurricane Signal No. 10. But the agency downgraded the warning later in the day and said winds were weakening and the storm was 'departing from Hong Kong gradually.' Still, it said it will issue a No. 3 Strong Wind Signal at 7:40 p.m. on Sunday.
The storm was approaching Vietnam late Sunday and threatened to bring flooding conditions and dangerous weather by Monday, the U.S. Embassy there said, citing the Vietnamese National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. The embassy said Wipha could 'bring heavy rain and strong, damaging winds to affected areas' as well as 'extensive flooding and mudslides' starting Monday.
The extreme weather came the same weekend as dozens died in Vietnam's Ha Long Bay after a boat carrying 46 Vietnamese tourists and three crew members capsized overnight after encountering a sudden storm, according to state media reports.
Wipha also caused heavy storms in Taiwan on Saturday and intensified the southwest monsoon rains in the Philippines, according to the country's Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration. The agency said it expected moderate and light rains and thunderstorms to continue in parts of the country into Monday. Thousands took shelter in government facilities, and two people were missing because of the storm, the Philippine Star reported.
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