Macau’s observatory lowered this year’s first No. 8 typhoon signal to the No.3 tropical cyclone signal at 8 p.m. yesterday, as Typhoon Talim was moving away from Macau, with the local winds further weakening.
Typhoon Talim spared Macau which reported no major damage or serious injuries during the 14 ½ hours that the No.8 signal remained hoisted.
Government offices, banks and most restaurants and shops remained closed during the No.8 signal period. As is customary during a typhoon, Macau’s casinos stayed open round the clock.
The No.8 signal was issued at 5:30 a.m. yesterday, according to the weather station, which said after it had cancelled the No.8 signal that it expected the No.3 signal to remain in effect during the night.
Talim was located about 300-km west-southwest of Macau at 10 p.m. yesterday, moving northwest towards the western coast of Guangdong province, according to a statement by the Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) last night.
A separate statement by the bureau late last night noted that Talim made landfall over Zhanjiang city on Guangdong’s Leizhou Peninsula at 10 p.m. yesterday.
The bureau predicted that as Macau was still under the influence of Talim’s circulation and rainbands, occasional showers and thunderstorms might occur from today through Thursday.
“Flooding will occur in the Inner Harbour area from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. today due to an astronomical tide”, the bureau said on its website.
“As the winds over the bridges are expected to be strong and gusty,” the bureau urged motorists to pay attention to traffic safety during the hoisting of the No.3 signal, while also urging motorcyclists to travel between the Macau peninsula and Taipa through the motorcycle lane on Sai Van Bridge instead of Friendship Bridge.
The No.3 signal means that under the influence of a tropical cyclone, winds with a sustained speed of 41 to 62 km/h are expected or blowing, while gusts may exceed 110 km/h.
Moreover, the bureau cancelled the Blue Storm Surge warning at 1 p.m. yesterday after 0.33-metre-high flooding hit the Inner Harbour area earlier in the day.
The Hong Kong’s observatory issued the No. 3 strong wind signal to replace the No. 8 gale or storm signal at 4.20 p.m. yesterday. The neighbouring city’s observatory said on its website last night that the No.3 signal was expected to remain in force at least until midnight, adding that it would consider issuing the No. 1 standby signal or replacing the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal with the Strong Monsoon Signal.
No major damage & injuries
Meanwhile, a statement by the Macau Civil Protection Operations Centre (COPC) said last night that no major damage or serious injuries were reported when the No.8 signal was up, noting that just one injury and 30 incidents, including fallen trees and pieces of concrete, as well as collapsed scaffolding and hanging objects, and other objects at risk of falling, were recorded before the No.8 signal was replaced by the No.3 signal at 8 p.m. yesterday.
In response to the then approaching typhoon to Macau, Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng chaired a meeting of the COPC yesterday morning after the No.8 signal was issued, the statement added.
According to the statement, the Social Welfare Bureau (IAS) opened four emergency shelter centres during the hoisting of the No.8 signal, providing services for 12 people.
The statement said that the three bridges connecting Macau to Taipa and the Lotus Flower Bridge between Cotai and Hengqin, which all had been closed at 7 a.m. yesterday due to the combined effects of the typhoon and storm surge, were reopened after the local observatory had replaced the No. 8 signal with the No. 3 signal.
The enclosed lower deck of Sai Van Bridge was opened to cars at 6:30 a.m. yesterday. Traffic through the enclosed deck was busy in both directions, with long queues on Avenida Dr Sun Yat Sen in Nape, and on Avenida dos Jogos da Ásia Oriental and Avenida Marginal Flor de Lótus in Taipa.
The statement noted that the Public Security Police (PSP) took action to tackle offences committed by taxi drivers, recording four cases of illegal fare negotiations when the No.8 signal was up. The police also fined 11 people for providing unauthorised transport services.
Meanwhile, according to separate announcements by the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA), Macau Civil Aviation Authority (AACM) and Transport Bureau (DSAT), as Talim was gradually moving away from Macau and in response to the lowering of the No.8 signal to the No.3 signal at 8 p.m. yesterday, Macau’s ferry, civil aviation and public bus services gradually reactivated their services within a short time.
The AACM statement noted that four flights departing from the local airport were delayed, 100 cancelled and 36 rescheduled due to the typhoon.
The DSAMA statement pointed out that the bureau coordinated with the local shipping companies to increase the post-typhoon frequency of their ferry services, depending on passenger demand at the Macau Outer Harbor Terminal and the Taipa Ferry Terminal in Pac On.
Macau Municipal Affairs Bureau’s (IAM) workers clean the drains near Kun Iam Tong Temple on Avenida do Coronel Mesquita while the No.8 typhoon signal was up yesterday. – Photo: Rui Pastorin
Photos: MPDG
