Hato slams into HK, leaving 120 injured
Heavy seas flood into streets as high winds flatten trees
More than 120 people were injured in Hong Kong as Hato — the second Signal No 10 storm to hit since 2000 — slammed into the city on Wednesday. It unleashed destructive winds and waves that uprooted trees, flooded streets and forced most businesses to close.
The storm came five years after the last Signal No 10 typhoon, Vincente, roared through Hong Kong, putting 138 people in hospital and more than 8,800 trees on the ground.
The Hong Kong Observatory issued the Hurricane Signal No 10 at 9:10 am on Wednesday and kept it hoisted for five hours — until 2:10 pm. Adding to the misery, an Amber Rainstorm Signal was also issued at 8 am and remained in effect for more than four hours.
The typhoon, with maximum sustained wind speed surpassing 118 kilometers per hour, brought severe disruption to Hong Kong.
As of Wednesday evening, 121 people had been injured, according to the city’s health authority. The government call center received 692 reports of fallen trees, eight flooding reports and a landslip report.
Private residential estate Heng Fa Chuen on the east coast of the Hong Kong Island was among the worst-hit areas in the city. Videos published online showed raging winds hurling seawater across the estate’s promenades and forming 5-meterhigh waves that carried the water as far as inner walkways.
An underground garage inside the estate was flooded, inundating a dozen private cars. The floodwater had not receded as of late on Wednesday evening.
The west coast of the Hong Kong Island was not immune. A woman surnamed Hui, who owns a bakery in Sai Ying Pun, told China Daily sales were less than a quarter of a usual day’s business. “Normally we have at least HK$8,000 sales by this time of the day. Today we had less than HK$2,000 so far.”
During the all-day standstill, Hong Kong International Airport had canceled 480 flights as of 5 pm due to the typhoon. It operated overnight from Wednesday to today (Thursday) to clear flights affected.
The city’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was also among those who affected. She was scheduled to return to Hong Kong on Wednesday night after ending her two-day visit in Shanghai and Hangzhou but had to stay in Hangzhou until Thursday.
All ferry services, bus operations and ground-level railway services were suspended when the typhoon signal was above 8. Services resumed after the Observatory issued the No 3 signal in the evening.
Before Hato, 13 severe typhoons with Signal No 10 were recorded in Hong Kong since 1957.
Across the Pearl River Estuary, Macao was also hit hard by high waves and strong winds. The city reported five dead, 153 injured and two missing during the typhoon as of Wednesday evening, according to government spokesperson Victor Chan Chi-ping.