Heavy rainfall and rough sea conditions cause sailing cancellations

The rough sea conditions caused by bad weather yesterday led authorities to suspend the maritime connection between Macau and Shekou Port (Shenzhen), as well as Guishan Island (Zhuhai), according to the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA).

DSAMA has called on citizens and tourists to note ferry companies’ updated information on sailing statuses and make the necessary travel arrangements in advance to avoid being surprised by service suspensions.

The whole Pearl River Delta area has been affected since last Friday by thunderstorms and heavy rainfall that have caused delays and increased travel times (but without major disruption) between Macau and other destinations, such as Hong Kong.

According to the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau, similar weather conditions will remain for the upcoming days, as, “under the persistent influence of a low-pressure trough, showers will become frequent, heavy at times with thunderstorms from Sunday to Tuesday (April 21 to 23).”

Yesterday, stations on the Macau Peninsula recorded an average of more than 40mm of rainfall yesterday.

Among them, the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Municipal Park had the highest rainfall of 50.8mm; stations in the Cotai District recorded more than 40mm.

The East Asian Games station recording the highest rainfall of 36.6mm.

A thunderstorm warning was only canceled yesterday at 9:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, China’s water resource ministry has issued an emergency advisory about rising water levels in major rivers, waterways, and reservoirs in Guangdong province.

The government has enacted emergency response plans to protect over 127 million people from the threat of dangerous floods.

Local weather officials have described the situation as “grim”, highlighting the rare spike in water levels at the Xijiang and Beijiang river basins, which has only a one-in-50 chance of occurring in any given year, state broadcaster CCTV news said yesterday.

Tap Seac art market affected

The Tap Seac Art Market entered its fourth day yesterday, with vendors reporting mixed experiences as the event continues to draw crowds despite periodic showers.

Yesterday afternoon, many merchants took advantage of the cancellation of a heavy rain warning to reopen their stalls, leading to a gradual increase in foot traffic. However, some stall owners noted that weekends tend to see fewer visitors than weekdays.

A snack stall owner, surnamed Li, said this year’s market situation has been worse than previous years. She said the average daily turnover is only around MOP2,000 to MOP3,000, which is barely enough to cover labor costs, according to a TDM report. Staff Reporter