Macau entered into the immediate prevention stage at 1 pm ahead of the SAR’s confirmed Typhoon Signal No. 8 issuance at 5 pm today, while Hong Kong will raise its typhoon warning to signal about two and a half hours earlier than our city.
The immediate prevention stage was declared in accordance with the Chief Executive Dispatch, pursuant to Article 8, Item 1 of Article 9, and Sub-item 7 of Item 1 of Article 11 of Law No. 11/2020 (Civil Protection Law), in order to safeguard the life and property of citizens, according to the Civil Protection Operations Centre.
Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) announced today that it will issue the neighbouring SAR’s Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 at 2:20 pm today.
In Macau, the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) issued an Orange Storm Surge Warning at 1 pm under Super Typhoon Ragasa’s impact.
At 1 pm, Ragasa was estimated to be about 440km east-southeast of Macau and forecast to move west-northwest at around 20km/h towards the western coast of the Pearl River Estuary, based on the current forecast.
Due to the typhoon’s impact and storm surge, Macau’s Transport and Housing Bureaus have both issued a reminder to the management companies of local private car parks in low-lying areas to pay attention to the latest weather information released by SMG to take anti-flooding measures, use flood control gates and other floor control facilities, according to the Civil Protection Newsflash.
The Civil Protection Operations Centre is urging all residents and tourists in Macau to cooperate with local authorities in the implementation of evacuation measures, with those living in the SAR’s low-lying areas particularly urged to cooperate in the case of evacuation as the centre warns that Ragasa poses ‘severe’ threat.
Furthermore, the local authorities have announced that the bridges in Macau will close during Typhoon Signal No. 8, leaving only Sai Vai Bridge’s lower deck, but this too will be suspended when Signal No. 9 is issued.
Buses will be suspended starting at 4:30 pm, while taxis will be limited from 4 pm and will gradually be suspended. The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) will close at 3 pm, with the last bus scheduled to depart at 2 pm, while the last ferries to the neighbouring SAR will depart from Macau and Taipa at 1 pm, as reported already by various media groups in Macau.
According to SMG, there is a high possibility of Macau issuing Typhoon Signal No. 9 around midnight tonight and a relatively high chance of Signal No. 10 being hoisted in the early morning tomorrow (24 September). For more information about the local weather development visit the weather bureau’s website. (Gilbert Humphrey)
Image: SMG
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