Super Typhoon Ragasa: Hong Kong to axe 700 flights, 4,000 officers on standby
Forecaster issues T3 signal at 9.40pm, with warning to be upgraded to T8 at 2.20pm on Tuesday
At least 700 flights will be cancelled from Tuesday as Super Typhoon Ragasa edges closer to Hong Kong, with 4,000 officers from the disciplined services on standby for emergencies and schools suspended for two days.
The weather forecaster issued the No 1 typhoon signal at 12.20pm on Monday and upgraded it to the No 3 warning at 9.40pm. It said it would issue the No 8 signal at 2.20pm on Tuesday. The Observatory will also assess the need to issue higher signals on Tuesday night and early Wednesday.
Ragasa, named after a Filipino word meaning rapid or fast motion, will be closest to the city on Wednesday morning, with the Observatory warning that the strength could be comparable with super typhoons Hato in 2017 and Mangkhut in 2018.
It is expected to bring hurricane-force winds with speeds of up to 230km/h (143mph) over the coming days, potentially breaking the record set in 2023 by Super Typhoon Saola, which had maximum sustained wind speeds of 210km/h.
Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki urged the public to remain indoors during the typhoon and refrain from storm chasing, warning that stringent enforcement action could be taken if the instructions of police officers were ignored.
He also called on employers to prioritise the safety of staff and allow flexible work arrangements. Chan said that employers might need to bear legal liability if they unreasonably disregarded the safety of a worker who was injured as a result.