Typhoon Saola heads towards China and Hong Kong: Preparedness and Uncertainty ahead of intensifying storm
Typhoon Saola, having pounded Taiwan with torrential rain and powerful winds, is now bearing down on China's southern coast and Hong Kong as it gains strength. The typhoon, recently upgraded to the status of a formidable typhoon, is projected to make landfall along China’s southern Guangdong province before approaching Hong Kong over the upcoming Friday and Saturday.
China and Hong Kong Brace for Impact
China's National Meteorological Center has forecasted a potential weakening trend as the typhoon nears land, though experts caution that there remain several variables influencing its path and intensity. Weather official Kong Yu-chau noted the influence of a northeast monsoon on the storm's trajectory and force, adding a level of unpredictability.
Taiwan Confronts Saola's Effects
Prior to its impending threat to China and Hong Kong, Typhoon Saola brushed the southern tip of Taiwan, resulting in heavy rainfall and disruptive winds. While the typhoon did not make a direct landfall on the island, it still triggered significant downpours in the less populated mountainous areas of Pingtung County in the southern region. In response, some townships in these zones, as well as along Taiwan’s eastern coast, suspended classes and work as a precautionary measure.
China Prepares for Impact
China has taken proactive measures to minimize potential damage, issuing orders for fishing boats to return to ports along its southeastern coastline. Gale force winds and gusts from the typhoon have swept across the South China Sea, prompting the precautionary move. Hong Kong, which uses a typhoon rating scale from 1 (lowest) to 10 (strongest), signaled the lowest typhoon warning on Wednesday as Saola approached.
Strength and Impact
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