Typhoon Wipha, a tropical storm that began as a tropical storm, caused widespread travel disruptions in Hong Kong and southern China, causing widespread flight cancellations and forcing people to seek shelter. The storm brought heavy rain, gusts, and high sea swells to Hong Kong, with China’s meteorological agency stating it made landfall in southern Guangdong province. The SCMP reported 471 fallen trees and 253 people seeking refuge in government shelters. Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority canceled services at its general outpatient clinics, while Cathay Pacific delayed or canceled all inbound flights before 6 p.m., with plans to resume departing flights once adverse weather subsided.
Wipha made landfall in Taishan, a city in the southwest of Guangdong province, around 5:50 p.m. Sunday. The storm weakened from typhoon strength to a strong tropical storm, and was expected to gradually weaken as it moved along the western coast of Guangdong before making another landfall on the northern coast of Vietnam late Monday. The U.S. Embassy in Vietnam warned that Wipha could bring heavy rain, strong, damaging winds, and extensive flooding and mudslides starting Monday. The extreme weather came the same weekend as dozens died in Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay after a boat carrying 46 Vietnamese tourists and three crew members capsized overnight after encountering a sudden storm.
