In light of Super Typhoon “Ragasa” forecast to closely hit the Pearl River Estuary on Wednesday, with its ferocity possibly reaching the fury of catastrophic typhoons Hato (August 2017) and Mangkhut (September 2018), the local government is urging residents to take its peril “very seriously” and “immediately” implement various precautionary measures in preparation for the “rapidly increasing” threat that they are now facing.
The precautionary measures recommended by the authorities yesterday include storing bottled water, filling buckets with water, stocking up on non-perishable food sufficient for three-days, ensuring that they have torches, medicines and first-aid items at home, and charging their smartphones and power banks in advance.
Various law enforcement agencies issued statements yesterday to urge residents to take a raft of precautions in advance in preparation for the menacing arrival of Ragasa.
A statement by the Unitary Police Service (SPU) yesterday said that under extreme circumstances, the severity of Ragasa could be expected to reach the ones of Hato and Mangkhut.
The SPU statement urges residents to immediately check and reinforce windows, doors, scaffolding, billboards, and other installations vulnerable to strong winds, while securing outdoor flower pots and other objects that may fall down or be blown away.
The statement urged residents and businesses in low-lying areas and basements to prepare flood barriers, sandbags, and other flood prevention materials in advance.
The statement also urged residents to store an adequate supply of drinking water, tap water, and non-perishable food such as tinned food, and to ensure that they have medicines, first-aid kits, torches, power banks, and battery-operated radios at their disposal at home, in order to enable them to cope with potential water supply and power outages.
The SPU statement urged residents to “immediately” implement all the necessary precautionary measures.
A statement by the Public Security Police (PSP) said that storm surge flooding caused by Ragasa could be expected to be comparable to that experienced during Hato and Mangkhut.
The PSP statement urged residents to check whether their doors and windows at home are secure, while moving potted plants, drying racks, and other items from balconies or windowsills indoors promptly to prevent accidents caused by falling objects during the typhoon.
The statement urged residents to check the stability of installations for outdoor units such as air conditioners and solar water heaters, and to reinforce them immediately or contact technicians for assistance if they are loose.
The statement urged residents to store bottled water, tap water, and non-perishable food enough for three-days consumption, while ensuring that they have flashlights at home.
It urged residents to check whether they have medicine first-aid items at home, in case of potential emergencies or injuries during the typhoon.
The statement said that power outages may occur during the typhoon, urging residents to charge their smartphones and power banks in advance to ensure that they are able to gain access to the latest typhoon and emergency information released by the authorities.
The statement also urged residents living in low-lying or flood-prone areas to plan and familiarise themselves with emergency evacuation routes in advance.
The statement also urged them to prepare a lightweight emergency kit containing their ID cards, medicines, drinking water, dry food, and important valuables for quick evacuation if needed.
The statement urged them to closely follow storm surge warnings and evacuation instructions issued by the authorities.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) pledged in a statement yesterday that it is ensuring that residents will always to able to buy enough fresh food in the market before Ragasa affects Macau.
This photo taken yesterday shows bottled water still on the shelves in a supermarket in Avenida de Horta e Costa. – Photo: MPDG
