Hong Kong suspends ports, warns travelers as typhoon approaches
Hong Kong suspended some port operations and Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. (293) warned of flight disruptions as the city prepared for its second typhoon in a month, Bloomberg reports.
The city’s observatory issued the strong wind signal No. 3, its second-lowest typhoon level, at 1:40 p.m. Based on Typhoon Kai-tak’s current path, the bureau is unlikely to issue a No. 8 gale signal, which would lead to the closure of government offices, banks and the stock exchange, before 10 p.m., it said. Hong Kong had a total of five typhoons last year, from June to October, according to the observatory.
“I’m just going to relax and make it a holiday,” said Paul Hemanth, a surgeon who just arrived in the city for business meetings. “We know that’s how Hong Kong is for a few months,” the New Delhi-based doctor said.
The typhoon was estimated to be about 320 kilometers (198 miles) south-southeast of Hong Kong at 6:00 p.m. and was moving toward the coast of China’s Guangdong province, according to the observatory website.
“As Kai-tak is expected to come closest to Hong Kong tonight and tomorrow morning, local winds will continue to strengthen overnight,” the bureau said in a 4:45 p.m. statement.
Hongkong International Terminals Ltd. and COSCO-HIT Terminals (Hong Kong) Ltd. suspended some container operations at the city’s ports. Cathay Pacific, the city’s biggest carrier, said flights may be disrupted from midnight.
“I checked online and it says the flight is fine,” said Thomas Schmidt, who was in Hong Kong for his power-tools business and was due to leave today. “I’ll go to the airport three to four hours early,” said the Istanbul, Turkey-based businessman.
Severe Typhoon Vicente, the most serious storm to hit Hong Kong since 1999, felled trees throughout the city and damaged a coal conveyor belt at a CLP Holdings Ltd. (2) power station last month. Plastic pellets owned by China Petroleum and Chemical Corp. were spilled into the city’s waters from a ship during the storm, affecting fishermen.
