Typhoon signal number 10 was raised this morning as heavy rains and gale force winds from severe typhoon Mangkhut began slamming into the city.
The observatory issued the highest typhoon warning at 9:40am, just two hours after raising the number nine signal, which means that winds with mean speeds of 118 kilometers per hour or more are expected.
Senior scientific officer Lee Tsz-cheung says the T10 signal will remain in force for a few hours, and a red rainstorm warning signal is also now in effect.
“According to our present forecast track, we expect the sea level over in the Victoria harbour will go up to about 3.5 meters above the chart data this afternoon,” Lee said.
The observatory also warned that water levels will be about four meters higher than normal in Tai O, in Lantau.
https://www.facebook.com/ToloTalk/photos/a.115101482366303/344747432735039/?type=3
Lee reminded the public that in light of the high winds, heavy rains, and severe squalls, the public should stay indoors, avoid water activities, and stay away from the shoreline.
The observatory downgraded Mangkhut from a super typhoon to a severe typhoon overnight as it edged close to the city. But experts say the sheer size of the storm is the most powerful to hit the city in decades, RTHK reports.
Hongkongers took to social media to post online photos and videos of some of the damage caused by the typhoon. One resident in Sau Mau Ping posted this video of the roof of a refuse collection hut coming clean off.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upX9Jad_S-0
Meanwhile, one resident in Tai Kok Tsui spotted a crane from an apartment block under construction nearby had fallen off during the storm.
Typhoon damage. And the storm is still strengthening. #typhoonmangkut #HongKong #mangkut #damage pic.twitter.com/oEaTTdA1aX
— WiTo (@Arn_Thor) September 16, 2018
Update, it fell #TyphoonManghkut #hongkong #damage #Mangkhut pic.twitter.com/5u9iWVjZOr
— WiTo (@Arn_Thor) September 16, 2018
Another resident in Tai Kok Tsui, surnamed Yau, sent video to Apple Daily of the corner of a nearby tenement building falling down.
The newspaper reports that Yau lives in Metro Harbour View, and said she was really scared when she saw the wall, which had a tree on it, fall down as it was pulled by the wind.
https://twitter.com/Tang20163/status/1041175024751673344
Over in Whampoa, passers-by saw window panes from the Harbour Grand Kowloon hotel in Whampoa had fallen out, with strong wind carrying many items in the wind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVulNmpEXao&frags=pl%2Cwn
Another user uploaded to YouTube footage of wind raging through an apartment with broken windows in Tseung Kwan O
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBBOSHMAxmk&frags=pl%2Cwn
Footage (below) posted online by Facebook user Chan COo. According to commenters, it shows the Mercedes Benz showroom in Chai Wan.
And here’s the view from street level, via Facebook user Szelok Fu
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