At least 15 requested help for evacuation as flooding inundates Macau

A Red Storm surge warning is active as severe flooding has inundated Macau, resulting in the evacuation of 15 residents by authorities.

The Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) reported that at 1 p.m., Super Typhoon Ragasa was located approximately 100 kilometers southwest of Macau, moving west-northwest at around 20 kilometers per hour. The typhoon is gradually distancing itself from Macau, generally heading toward the western coast of Guangdong Province. The No. 10 typhoon signal will remain in effect for some time. The bureau warned that, due to Ragasa’s core circulation, Macau would face violent winds, heavy rain, and thunderstorms, with winds already reaching Force 12 hurricane force and expected to continue for several hours.

The weather station reports a low likelihood of upgrading to a black storm surge warning. However, during the red storm surge warning period, elevated astronomical tides and storm surge have caused flooding in the Inner Harbour area to exceed 1.5 meters. Additionally, the Chapel of St. Francis Xavier Station in Coloane recorded approximately 1 meter of flooding. It is expected that flooding will continue for some time, with water levels projected to range from 1.5 to 2.5 meters.

At 12:02 p.m., six monitoring stations—including the Macau Peninsula of Inner Harbour, Hong Kung Miu Temple and  Ponte e Horta areas, as well as Coloane’s St. Francis Xavier Church recorded water levels exceeding one meter, with Inner Harbour briefly reaching 1.5 meters. Around this time, 13 residents were reported trapped in the flooded area between Rua de Cinco de Outubro and Rua do Tarrafeiro. Police, firefighters, and customs officers deployed rescue boats and water scooters to assist in their evacuation, which lasted approximately one hour. Additionally, two other individuals required assistance from customs officers to be transported to safety via rubber boats and water motorcycles near the Hong Kung Miu Temple.

Meanwhile, due to the flooding, a ground-floor shop near Ponte 16 on Rua do Visconde Paço de Arcos was suspected of having a smoke-emitting electrical box.

The power supply to 16,000 households in low-lying areas has been temporarily suspended. CEM has stated that power restoration will be prioritised as soon as Typhoon Signal No. 8 is lifted and floodwaters recede, emphasising that no additional power suspensions will be implemented.

The Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) reported that by 1 p.m., 608 individuals had utilised the city’s 17 emergency shelters, bringing the cumulative number of users since their opening to 664.