August 25, 2022
HONG KONG – The Hong Kong Observatory has raised typhoon signal No 8 as Severe Tropical Storm Ma-on edged closer to the city.
In a weather warning, the HKO said the No 8 Northeast Gale or Storm Signal was issued at 7:25 pm, which means that winds with mean speeds 63 to 87 kilometers per hour are expected.
Ma-on is expected to be closest to Hong Kong Thursday morning and may skirt within about 200 kilometers south-southwest of the SAR, posing “a considerable threat to the territory,” the HKO said
“The outer rainbands associated with Ma-on are edging close to the vicinity of the Pearl River Estuary. There will be squally showers and thunderstorms over Hong Kong later today and local winds will strengthen rapidly tonight,” the HKO said.
As of 8 pm, Ma-on was estimated to be about 280 kilometers south-southeast of Hong Kong and was forecast to move west-northwest at about 28 kilometers per hour in the general direction of the coast of western Guangdong.
Ma-on is expected to be closest to Hong Kong Thursday morning and may skirt within about 200 kilometers south-southwest of the SAR, posing “a considerable threat to the territory,” the HKO said. “No 8 Gale or Storm Signal will remain in force at least until 6 am tomorrow (Thursday).”
Due to the storm surge and high tide, a high water level of about 1 meter above the normal tide heights is expected at Quarry Bay between 5 am and 9 am Thursday. The high water level may cause flooding in low-lying areas, it added.
In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, a spokesman for the Hospital Authority said its general out-patient evening clinics will be closed. Patients, who have scheduled appointments, are advised to make a new appointment after the cancellation of the No 8 signal.
“Service of Accident and Emergency Department at public hospitals remains normal,” the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, all welfare service units of the Social Welfare Department said all welfare service units of the department, child care centers, centers providing after-school care programs, elderly services centers and day rehabilitation units are closed, the department said.