Gaemi to bring rains to HK after lashing PHL and Taiwan

 

Path of Typhoon Gaemi (Photo from HK Observatory)

Hong Kong will have a rainy Sunday and some squally thunderstorms from tomorrow due to a typhoon that dumped monsoon rain on the Philippines and Taiwan yesterday and today.

While Typhoon Gaemi  (Carina in the Philippines) is too far to lash Hong Kong with its winds, it is expected to enhance the seasonal Southwest Monsoon and bring rain for six days starting tomorrow.

The typhoon, which slightly weakened as it crossed the Taiwan Strait on the way to Fujian this afternoon, has begun drawing monsoon rains to Hong Kong, with the HK Observatory expecting isolated showers to squally thunderstorms tonight.

Pindutin para sa detalye

The rains are expected to continue tomorrow, intensifying on Saturday and peaking on Sunday, before gradually lessening over the next three days, according to HKO.

The typhoon did not land on the Philippines, but it left a swath of destruction by intensifying the southwest monsoon on most of Luzon, swamping low-lying areas such as those in the National Capital Region where flood waters exceeded levels recorded in Typhoon Ondoy in 2009.

At least 13 people have been reported dead and 600,000 displaced by the flooding.

Basahin ang detalye!

Choppy seas whipped by Carina also sank at least one ship containing 1.5 million liters of oil off Limay, Bataan, threatening Manila Bay with a massive oil spill. Sixteen crew members of the MT  Terranova were rescued from the rough seaswhile one was found dead later. 

At least 143 flights in and out of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila were cancelled yesterday.

The super typhoon then whipped Taiwan with 205kph winds, leaving at least three people dead and 300 injured, one cargo ship sunk, and most of the island flooded.

Reports say more than a thousand millimeters of rain fell over four counties and cities during a 14-hour period until this afternoon, resulting in widespread flooding in the centre and north of the island. 

Tugboats were used to rescue stranded residents in Shuishang county in Taiwan (BBC photo)

The capital, Taipei, was however, largely spared with public transportation still running, although schools, offices, shops and banks remain closed for the day.

Meanwhile, Taiwan officials say there were nine Myanmar nationals aboard the Tanzania-registered cargo vessel Fu Shun, but they are unable to mount a rescue operation yet because of severe weather conditions.

Authorities in the Chinese southeastern province of Fujian  are bracing for Gaemi's arrival tonight.  

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