China issues typhoon-red warning as Saola moves towards Hong Kong
Representative image of a typhoon.
China issued a typhoon-red warning on Thursday (August 31) as Typhoon Saola moved closer to the southeastern coastline, threatening Hong Kong and other major manufacturing hubs in the neighbouring Guangdong province. China's National Meteorological Center said that Saola would move across the South China Sea at a speed of about 10 kilometres per hour (km/hr) gradually approaching the coast of Guangdong, then slowly weaken in intensity.
At 9 am Thursday, winds were recorded at 209 km/hr. The meteorological centre said that Saola would make landfall along the coast somewhere from Huilai County in Guangdong to Hong Kong on Thursday afternoon to Friday night.
The precautions
As the typhoon approaches, Guangdong's Shenzhen city said it would upgrade the typhoon warning level to yellow - the second lowest - on Thursday evening and suspend classes at nurseries, kindergartens, primary and secondary schools.
Citing local media, Reuters reported the China Southern Power Grid was stepping up inspection of equipment and strengthening measures to prevent water leakage in basement power rooms.
The national railways, meanwhile, suspended several major train lines and Shanghai halted trains heading to Guangdong.
Saola brushes past Taiwanbringing heavy rain
Typhoon Saola brushed past Taiwan'ssouthern tip on Wednesday bringing heavy rain. The government issued land and sea warnings for the storm, with ferry services and flights to several offshore islands and the southeastern city of Taitung cancelled.
Reuters reported that the heaviest rain would fall along mountainous and sparsely populated parts of Pingtung County, where classes and work were suspended in some townships.
(With inputs from agencies)
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