Typhoon Saola has made its way into southern China after hitting Hong Kong and causing significant damage. China’s meteorological agency said Saola made landfall south of Zhuhai city in Guangdong province around 3:30 a.m. local time (10:30 p.m. GMT on Friday) on Saturday. Before the typhoon reached Hong Kong, it had already lost strength.
Earlier, nearly 900,000 people had been evacuated from vulnerable areas in China. Before reaching Hong Kong, the storm was downgraded from the super typhoon category to a strong typhoon. While Hong Kong was not directly affected, it did result in uprooted trees and broken windows.
Initially, there were no reports of fatalities. According to official reports, 55 people have been treated in Hong Kong hospitals for injuries related to the typhoon. Authorities expected the storm to weaken further along the coast.
Floods, but no landslides
Authorities reported about 80 cases of fallen trees and a dozen cases of flooding. According to the current state of knowledge, no landslides have occurred.
“Saola” ninth typhoon of 2023
In the run-up, it was feared that ‘Saola’ could cause similar devastation as super typhoon ‘Manghkut’ in 2018. At the time, more than 300 people were injured in Hong Kong and six people were killed in China. “Saola” is the ninth typhoon to hit the region this year.
Hong Kong closed all schools and kindergartens on Friday evening. Most flight connections have also been cancelled. Hundreds of flights have also been canceled in China. Shops remained closed as a precaution and traffic was halted.
Source: Krone
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