Gov’t: No one injured as Typhoon Ma-on batters region

The city was battered by tropical storm Ma-on for 12.5 hours yesterday as the city’s observatory hoisted signal No. 8 at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday. Strong winds and heavy rain were expected as the typhoon barreled towards southern China.

The signal was replaced by typhoon signal No.3 at 11 a.m. yesterday and was later canceled at 6:30 p.m. last night as the storm moved away from Macau. 

During that time, the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) expected that the winds would further weaken and still be affected by the rain bands of the storm, with occasional heavy showers.

“During typhoon signal No. 8, all districts of Macau recorded around 10 millimeters of rainfall,” the SMG mentioned in a report.

As Ma-on was moving faster than expected, “the period of the highest increase in water level was different from the period of the highest astronomical tide, so the situation of flooding was not as serious as expected, and no impact in the providing of water and electricity in Macau,” the observatory explained.

It added that, as a result, the Blue Storm Surge warning was replaced by the Orange one.

Head of Civil Protection Operations Center and Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak, summarized their work stating, “no one was injured during the typhoon.” 

As of 11 a.m. yesterday, the center received a total of 16 requests for help, six reports of accidents, including one request that a building is cleaned, lamp posts or trees removal; four reports of falling concrete, windows, canopies or other hangings; and one report of a sea accident.

While the orange storm surge warning is in effect, police officers were patrolling the Inner Harbor area, urging residents to evacuate from that area. 

As a result, a total of 2,514 people were successful in moving out from low-lying areas; over 400 people did not evacuate after evaluations by the authorities considered that their locations are safe.

Wong expressed gratitude to all departments and officers for their preparatory work, and the understanding and cooperation of all residents during this time of typhoon.

The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) claimed that it dispatched staff to clean garbage on the street and inspect municipal and green facilities after cancelling typhoon signal No. 8. 

A total of seven trees were damaged, including six broken branches and one collapse. Around 700 kilograms of fallen firewood branches have been collected. Also, the cleaning companies added five to 13 garbage trucks to help clean garbage. 

The rainwater and sewage pumping stations were not affected during the typhoon. 

Some low-lying areas, such as Coloane and the south of the Inner Harbor, experienced flooding, but there was no flooding in the north of the Inner Harbor, reflecting that the storm water pump in the area plays a significant role in flood discharge, according to the IAM.

After the authorities canceled the typhoon signal No. 8, residents resumed their work immediately, and all government departments also announced resumption of their services. 

According to the statistical data, a total of 96 people used emergency services provided by shelter, and all shelters were closed on August 25 by 11 a.m yesterday.

All health departments announced that they would resume providing all kind of services starting from 2:30 p.m. in the afternoon, including indoor nucleic acid testing (NAT) stations and mobile NAT bus, which resumed providing services from 2 p.m. Outdoor NAT testing stations resumed providing services today. People who were affected by the typhoon and did not carry out the NAT must remake an appointment. Staff reporter