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South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Climate
- South China Morning Post
Proactive preparation is key to Hong Kong's disaster resilience
It may seem fortunate for Hong Kong to emerge relatively unscathed from the strongest typhoon in two years. It happened to be a Sunday when Typhoon Wipha skirted the city with weaker hurricane-force winds than those of the other storms that triggered the highest No 10 warning signal in recent years. For a city that has been exposed to increasingly unpredictable and extreme weather events, being prepared is the key. It is important that we learn from past experience and strive to minimise the disruptions and damage caused by natural disasters. Wipha wreaked less havoc than Super Typhoon Saola in 2023 and Mangkhut in 2018. Over the weekend, at least 33 people were injured and sought treatment at accident and emergency units, fewer than the figures of 86 in 2023 and 458 in 2018. But there were more than 700 reports of fallen trees, as well as cases of flooding and damage. There could have been a wider impact on schools and economic activities had the city been hit during a weekday. Nevertheless, a weekend storm also meant chaos for air and cross-border rail travel. The Airport Authority was busy clearing a massive backlog after the storm disrupted hundreds of flights and affected some 100,000 passengers. Some travellers were reportedly stranded for up to two days at the airport. The city has, thankfully, weathered many storms. This owes much to the lessons learned over the decades, some in a rather hard way. The current administration has been on alert for extreme weather after it came under fire for being unprepared for the onslaught of 'once-in-a-century' rainfall in 2023, so much so that there were times its precautionary steps were seen as overly cautious. Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki was criticised for his advance decision to suspend school earlier this month, after the rainstorm forecast turned out to be a false alarm. But when facing extreme weather alerts, including on this occasion, we trust that it is better to be safe than sorry. The government should not be faulted for its 'proactive preparation'. There have been suggestions the economic loss arising from the typhoon, despite being on a Sunday, could reach HK$2 billion. That is why the government's decision last year to allow the stock market to continue trading during typhoons is an important step to reduce their economic impact and maintain the city's status as an international financial centre. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu yesterday reaffirmed this has enhanced the city's financial competitiveness. Minimising weather-induced disruptions and damages is not just the job of the authorities. Some people were out chasing storms while some restaurants remained open, raising serious safety concerns. It is our collective responsibility to be prepared for future challenges.
HKFP
3 days ago
- HKFP
Hong Kong airport to handle 1,076 flights in aftermath of Typhoon Wipha
The Airport Authority has said that Hong Kong International Airport is expected to handle 1,076 flights on Monday, as the airport continues to clear the backlog caused by Typhoon Wipha, which hit the city one day earlier. 'We are confident that stranded travellers affected by the typhoon will basically be handled by tomorrow,' Steven Yiu, the executive director for airport operations at the Airport Authority, said on Monday. However, a small number of travellers whose flight routes operate only once or twice a week may still have to wait for a replacement flight, he told reporters. The authority, airlines, and the airport have also deployed additional personnel to serve travellers, Yiu said. The Hong Kong Observatory hoisted the T10 storm signal at 9.20am on Sunday, as Typhoon Wipha swept the city. It was the first time since September 2023 that the highest storm signal had been raised. More than 500 flights, affecting 100,000 passengers, were cancelled due to the typhoon on Sunday, Chris Au Young, the Airport Authority's general manager of terminal and passenger experience, said that afternoon. The Observatory lowered the warning signal to T8 at 4.10pm on Sunday and to T3 some three hours later, at 7.40pm. All typhoon signals were lifted at 5.10am on Monday. Au Young said that flights resumed after the storm warning signal was dropped to T8. While the airport would continue to handle about 400 rescheduled arrivals and departures on Sunday, it would take two to three days to clear the backlog of 500 cancelled flights, he added. All 27 departure security gates were fully operational to serve passengers overnight. Yiu said that the airport and its runways were back to normal operational capacity on Monday, while re-allocation of flights would go on into the evening. He added that the airport's departure hall was relatively busy in the morning, as it was the peak summer holiday season.
RTHK
3 days ago
- RTHK
Airport operations 'back to normal' after Wipha wait
Airport operations 'back to normal' after Wipha wait More than 230 flights departed and arrived between Sunday night and Monday morning after Typhoon Wipha moved away from the SAR. Photo: RTHK Thousands gathered at the airport on Monday morning to check in for flights after Typhoon Wipha led to the cancellation of 500 flights and another 400 being rescheduled. A passenger, Wong, told RTHK that her flight to Yonago, Japan, was delayed for a day but that arrangements made by the airline were acceptable. "I think the arrangements are pretty good, it's better for them to delay it rather than cancel. It's a bit annoying for us since we rented a car and we have to cancel our hotel booking for one night," she said. "We had the same experience before: there was also a typhoon, and our flight was also delayed for a day. "So this time, we thought we might just wait and see how it turns out, and it was fine at the end." Another man, Cheung, echoed Wong's sentiments. "The delay shortened our holiday for a day, but I think it's alright, we just have to change our itinerary for a bit," he said. "I think the airline's arrangements were okay: they didn't need us to come to the airport and wait for days. I could just search for the flight information at home." However, a Shanghai tourist, Bao, who was transferring to Sydney through Hong Kong, said arrangements were poor. "It was horrible. I have been taking flights for over 20 years, and this time is the worst," he said. "I got here from Shanghai after staff at Shanghai said the Hong Kong side would make arrangements as a result of our delayed flight. "I arrived here at midnight, and I missed my connection. "I can understand that it's because of the typhoon, but no one arranged anything for us afterwards. "A staff member kept saying it's not their problem and that we had to deal with it ourselves. "He didn't help us out with rescheduling, or booking a hotel, he just ran away." The Airport Authority's executive director, Steven Yiu, said more than 1,000 flights would be scheduled for Monday and that operations remained smooth. "We are still using the flight rescheduling control system, and the system will run until midnight today," he said. "But the capacity of our runway and operations have returned to normal levels. "We will slowly shut down our flight rescheduling control system. As for stranded passengers, it won't be zero, but the number is relatively low, as some flights only operate once or twice a week." The authority said earlier that more than 230 flights departed and arrived between Sunday night and Monday morning after Typhoon Wipha moved away from the SAR.
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Thousands throng Hong Kong airport to catch flights delayed by Typhoon Wipha
Thousands of passengers have filled Hong Kong's airport as they seek to board flights delayed by Typhoon Wipha, with the road leading to the terminal being severely congested. At around 6.45am on Monday, nearly two hours after the Observatory lifted all tropical cyclone warning signals, there was a serious jam on Airport Road on the stretch from Chek Lap Kok Fire Station to Terminal 1. It prompted some cabbies to divert to Regal Airport Hotel to drop their passengers off there instead. The Transport Department also warned of heavy traffic near the Hong Kong International Airport, calling on motorists to use the drop-off area at car park 1. It reminded members of the public to allow sufficient time for their journey, or consider taking the Airport Express and buses instead. Hong Kong International Airport is dealing with a backlog of 500 cancelled flights affecting about 100,000 passengers following the departure of Typhoon Wipha. The Airport Authority earlier said that about 400 rescheduled flights would either depart or arrive in Hong Kong later on Sunday and that it would take two or three days for airlines to gradually resume all the cancelled flights. Inside the terminal, long queues formed at airline check-in counters as anxious travellers, many arriving hours before the scheduled time of their flights. The airport also broadcast announcements, urging passengers who had completed their check-in procedures to move on to security screening, as there was a large accumulation of travellers in the departure area.
The Star
4 days ago
- Climate
- The Star
Wipha tears through city
Destructive winds: Barricades blown down in the central district as the typhoon signal number 10 is hoisted as Typhoon Wipha moves towards Hong Kong. — AFP The region issued its highest tropical cyclone warning as Typhoon Wipha battered the city, with authorities cancelling classes and grounding hundreds of flights. Wipha was located around 60km south-east of Hong Kong as of 10am (0200 GMT), according to the city's weather observatory. Huge waves were spotted off the eastern coast of Hong Kong Island. The observatory has issued the T10 hurricane alert yesterday morning, saying 'winds with mean speeds of 118kph or more are expected' and pose 'considerable threat to Hong Kong'. 'Under the influence of its eyewall, hurricane force winds are affecting the southern part of the territory,' the observatory said, warning the public to 'beware of destructive winds'. China's Hainan and Guangdong provinces were also put on high alert, state news agency Xinhua said Saturday. A representative from Hong Kong's Airport Authority said yesterday that around 500 flights had been cancelled due to weather, while around 400 flights were scheduled to take off or land later in the day. More than 200 people have sought refuge at government-run temporary shelters. One man sought medical treatment at the emergency room of a public hospital yesterday, with officials receiving more than a dozen reports of fallen trees. Authorities suspended yesterday's classes at all day schools and daycare centres. Local trains offered limited services while operations in open sections were suspended. Wipha brought heavy rains and flooding to the Philippines and two people have been reported missing, according to the country's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Hong Kong last hoisted the T10 warning signal for Super Typhoon Saola in 2023. — AFP
