Storm causes widespread disruption, swift recovery follows in the SAR

Typhoon Noul — which swept to within 80 kilometers of Hong Kong over the weekend and prompted this year’s first No 9 storm alert, the second highest level — forced a temporary citywide transport and business shutdown, as well as grounding flights and halting cross-border rail services.

Despite the disruption, a swift and coordinated response from the city’s stakeholders ensured a quick return to normality, as the storm moved away and lost strength.

The Hong Kong Observatory on Sunday evening canceled all tropical cyclone warnings, as local winds moderated gradually with Noul continuing to move inland over Guangdong.

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At 7 pm, Noul was estimated to be about 210 kilometers north of Hong Kong and was forecast to move north-northwest at about 15 kilometers per hour into inland Guangdong as it continues to weaken.

On Saturday, the weather forecaster issued a No 3 storm signal at 1:20 pm, followed by a No 8 at 10:10 pm. It then raised the alert to No 9 at 1:10 am on Sunday, before lowering it back to No 8 six hours later.

At 12:40 pm on Sunday, it raised a No 3 strong wind signal, replacing it at 3:20 pm with the No 1 standby signal before cancelling all signals at 7:10 pm.

Noul made landfall in Huizhou, Guangdong, at around 4 am on Sunday.

According to the Drainage Services Department, eight flooding incidents had been confirmed by 1:30 pm on Sunday — all cleared within one to two hours.

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The government’s public service hotline fielded 88 reports of fallen trees by 1 pm, while the Fire Services Department recorded 243.

As of noon, 21 people — nine men and 12 women — had been injured during the typhoon, the Hospital Authority said, with all receiving treatment at public hospitals.

The Home Affairs Department said that by around 1 pm, 29 temporary shelters across Hong Kong had been set up and were giving refuge to 246 people.

Public transport services have also been progressively restored since Sunday afternoon.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday morning, Yeung Tat-wing, director of the Airport Authority Hong Kong’s service delivery, reported that about 350 flights were canceled on Sunday at Hong Kong International Airport, and Saturday night’s storm peak left around 2,000 travelers stranded at the airport.

A makeshift waiting area was quickly arranged, he said, and some 100 staff were on hand to distribute water, food, blankets and meal vouchers, with several eateries and stores staying open all night.

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Yeung said the airport has 675 flights set to be managed on Sunday and that overnight services would be considered if needed. He added that normal operations were expected on Monday morning.

Additionally, Mass Transit Railway, Hong Kong’s railway operator, announced on its website the cancellation of all cross-border high-speed rail services between Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Station and Chinese mainland cities, citing a notification from mainland railway authorities.

Some train services will continue to be canceled or have their departure and terminal stations changed through to Monday.

Meanwhile, most MTR lines across the city’s rail network had resumed service by early Sunday afternoon, and the entire network was in operation from around 4 pm.

Hong Kong’s major bus operators — Citybus, Kowloon Motor Bus and Long Win Bus — confirmed most of their daytime routes had resumed services from 12:40 pm, when the Hong Kong Observatory downgraded the storm warning signal to No 3.

The Marine Department also announced at around 1 pm that the Hong Kong-Macao Ferry Terminal in Sheung Wan and the China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui have been reopened.

On Sunday morning the Education Bureau said classes at all day schools, including secondary schools, primary schools, special schools, kindergartens, and kindergarten-cum-child care centers, were suspended, while evening schools reopened on Sunday night.

Contact the writer at: wanqing@chinadailyhk.com