City braces for Typhoon Saola as storm moves towards south China, school year delayed
IAM disassembles mid-autumn festival decorations
Although the issuing of typhoon signal number 8 is only expected for this afternoon or evening according to the forecast of the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG), several government entities have already started to prepare for the potential strength of Typhoon Saola.
In preparation for the super typhoon impacts, the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) has removed all decorative items that had been installed for the mid-autumn festival later in September.
Yesterday, Air Macau and Air Asia have already started canceling some of their flights scheduled for today.
Similar measures are expected from other airliners as well as maritime transportation routes between Macau, Hong Kong, and the mainland.
At 11 p.m. last night, typhoon signal 1 was replaced by typhoon signal 3.
A ‘yellow’ Storm Surge Warning is also expected to be issued today with the possibility of this warning being changed to ‘orange’ later in the evening.
In Hong Kong, the city’s leader, John Lee, said in a Facebook post that he had requested various government departments to plan ahead and urged residents to take precautionary measures.
Last night, the Hong Kong Observatory said it plans plans to issue a No. 8 typhoon signal between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. today, the third-highest warning under the city’s weather system.
The observatory warned of squally showers, strengthening winds and a possible storm surge in low-lying areas of the crowded financial center.
In China, state media report at least 121 passenger trains are suspending service in anticipation of the arrival of Typhoon Saola.
People in areas of southern China were warned to stay away from the coastline and several cities delayed the start of the school year.
The suspensions on key lines running from north to south as well as on regional networks began yesterday and continue through Sept. 6, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
China’s National Meteorological Center said Saola was moving toward the coast at a speed of about 15 kph and was due to make landfall today in the southern province of Guangzhou with sustained winds of 119 kph and gusts of up to 220 kph.
The storm will then travel west down the coast into the Guangxi region before curving south out to sea between Saturday night and Sunday morning, gradually weakening as it goes.
The Guangdong city of Shanwei, closest to where Saola is expected to make landfall, ordered a halt to classes, transport and most economic activity until the all-clear is sounded. Other cities, including Shantou, Shanwei, Jieyang and Chaozhou, have ordered the start of the school year to be delayed until Monday. Regional airports have also suspended flights until the storm passes.
Typhoon delays
school year
The SAR’s Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) issued a statement calling on schools to postpone the start of the new school year, otherwise scheduled for today.
The DSEDJ said the start of the new year should instead be deferred to September 4 (Monday) to ensure students’ safety.
The bureau said the recommendation was made in collaboration with the education sector, relying on the fact that the impact on teaching will be minimal.
This measure applies to non-higher education schools in Macau.
The DSEDJ reminded all education institutions participating in the ‘Continuing Education Development Plan’ to adopt measures to prevent wind and water damage, recommending institutions install waterproof gates in preparation, check the safety of buildings and school facilities, relocate equipment and monitor power systems to ensure safety.
IAM assures there is
enough food amid storm
The IAM has increased the supply of fresh produce before Typhoon Saola hits the city.
After the announcement by the weather bureau, residents were panic buying in some local supermarkets.
In a statement, the IAM said that the volume of vegetables incoming tomorrow will be about 310 tonnes, an increase of 60 tons compared to normal days.
The bureau also said it is working with Nam Yue to formulate an emergency plan, and has notified the vegetable supply center in the mainland and local wholesalers in advance to prepare sufficient quantities to increase supply.
Once the traffic is blocked due to bad weather, the cross-border transportation of fresh food will also launch contingency measures to ensure the stable supply of vegetables, meat and other agricultural products.
Saola passed just south of Taiwan on Wednesday before turning to mainland China, with the storm’s outer bands hitting the island’s southern cities with heavy rain and strong winds.
The typhoon also lashed the Philippines earlier this week, without any reports of casualties so far. However, in the northern part of the islands, low-lying villages were flooded and nearly 50,000 people displaced, including 35,000 villagers, who fled to government-run evacuation centers. Seaports suspended inter-island ferry services due to rough seas, and more than a hundred houses were damaged.
Meanwhile, a second storm, Haikui, is brewing near Japan’s Ryukyu islands and will develop into a typhoon as it moves toward the Chinese coast, where it is expected to make landfall south of Shanghai on Sunday morning with sustained winds of 165 kph.
