Typhoon Nida hits China after shutting down Hong Kong
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This picture taken on August 1, 2016 shows a fallen advertising board on a street due to winds by approaching Typhoon Nida at the town of Liaogao in Tongren in southern China’s Guizhou province. ©AFP
A powerful typhoon has swept through Hong Kong with powerful winds and torrential rain, bringing the financial hub to a standstill and canceling hundreds of flights there.
Typhoon Nida, the first major typhoon to hit Hong Kong this year, created winds of up to 145 kilometers per hour in the city on Tuesday morning before moving onto mainland China, according to the Hong Kong Observatory.
The typhoon cancelled more than 150 flights from Hong Kong’s airport. Hundreds of passengers were stranded at the airport as the authorities said none of the flights would be operating before afternoon at the earliest.
The powerful storm also forced the suspension of buses, trains and ferries. The only running transportation system in the city was the subway, which was offering a limited service.
The Observatory had issued this year’s first No. 8 warning signal, the third-most severe, on Monday evening, but it has now downgraded it to a No. 3 strong wind signal.
It said that Nida had “weakened into a severe tropical storm and is moving gradually to the inland areas of Guangdong.”
Hong Kong, however, warned people to remain vigilant for possible river flooding in lower areas.
The typhoon made landfall in China later on Tuesday, causing traffic disruptions and flight cancellations in the region near Pearl River.
The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) had issued a typhoon red alert, the highest level of warning, on Monday.
ME
