2/8/2016

Severe tropical storm Nida: Hong Kong, China flights cancelled, schools, offices closed as storm hits – Shipping delays expected

Nida has been downgraded to a severe tropical storm as it heads towards the Chinese city of Guangzhou having passed Hong Kong and Shenzhen, causing hundreds of flights to be cancelled, closing schools and halting ferries.

Key points:

• Guangzhou issues its first-ever red storm alert as it braces for direct hit
• Typhoon-strength Nida passes north of Hong Kong and Shenzhen
• Chinese told to store three days' worth of food and essentials

Guangzhou, the capital of Hong Kong's neighbouring Guangdong province, issued its first-known red storm alert, with schools and outdoor work suspended.

Severe tropical storm Nida, with sustained winds of 105kph, is due to hit the major city later on Tuesday.

"All emergency rescue and disaster response units, please adopt measures to ensure preparation work for the provision of water, electricity, gas, transport, communications, civil administration, medical treatment, epidemic prevention and food supply and other disaster relief efforts," the city Government said in a statement on its official microblog.

Hong Kong raised a T8 storm signal — the third-highest — on Monday evening as the storm edged closer to the semi-autonomous Chinese city, packing winds of 130 kilometres per hour.

Cathay Pacific and its subsidiary Dragonair cancelled all of their flights in and out of Hong Kong for 16 hours, from 10:00pm Monday until 2:00pm Tuesday (local time).

That will include more than 100 flights, said a spokeswoman for Cathay, the city's flag carrier.

Hong Kong authorities shut kindergartens and special needs learning institutions on Monday.

Ferries between Hong Kong and the gambling strip of Cotai in Macau have been suspended.

 

Keeping you updated,

Aaron Poole

Back to News Page