On September 8, Hong Kong (China) temporarily suspended many activities when Typhoon Tapah made landfall. Many flights were canceled, public transportation stalled, while people were advised to limit going out to ensure safety.
The Hong Kong Meteorological Administration (China) said that storm No. 8, the third highest warning level, will remain in place until at least 11am on September 8. Businesses are only allowed to reopen when warnings are lowered, while all schools are closed all day according to the announcement of the Department of Education.
Maintained winds of 101 km/h were recorded near the international airport on Lantau Island, with maximum gusts of up to 151 km/h. At the same time, a yellow thunderstorm signal - the lowest level in the three-level system - was also issued from dawn.
Typhoon Tapah officially made landfall in Taizhou City, Guangdong Province, China at 8:50 a.m. on September 8. The storm is forecast to gradually move away from Hong Kong (China) in the following hours, helping the city gradually reduce the level of impact.
Despite initial concerns, the damage in Hong Kong (China) that morning was still assessed as minimal. The streets are mostly quiet, with no serious landslides or flooding recorded. However, most transportation services such as ferries, buses and land-based elevated trains are still temporarily suspended, while the metro system only operates at lower frequency than usual.
In neighboring city of Shenzhen, the government also decided to let students stay home to avoid risks.
