Saola is coming: Hong Kong in fear of worst typhoon in 70 years

A television reporter stands diagonally on a street in Shanwei, south China’s Guangdong province, bracing himself against the wind blowing around him. He could barely stand while reporting heavy rain and wind gusts exceeding 200 kilometers per hour.

But this is just a harbinger of Super Typhoon Saola, which has reached the coastal waters of southern China and Hong Kong. Perhaps the worst hurricane in 70 years is expected. The previous day, the authorities had announced the highest warning level, which was red. Schools, shops and businesses have been closed across Hong Kong.

Party leader in southern China’s Guangdong Province, Huang Kunming, warned that Saola would bring “strong winds, heavy rain and huge waves.” There is a “high risk of serious disasters.”

Saola was said to have been particularly violent on Saturday night

Supermarket shelves have been bought empty, and citizens are being asked via text message to stop their work and, if possible, not to go out the door. Saola is said to have been particularly violent on Saturday night. A feeling of fear spreads among the population.

Shirley Ng, who is still on the road, told reporters that people are talking about a very strong typhoon and are stocking up on food. “I just hope the hurricane doesn’t cause any casualties. I hope everyone stays safe.”

The impending typhoon paralyzed air traffic in Hong Kong in advance and more than 400 flights were cancelled.

There were also warnings of floods in the capital, which has a population of seven million people. The center of the typhoon will be “very close” to the Chinese Special Administrative Region between Friday evening and Saturday morning (local time). According to this, the storm will pass only about 40 kilometers south of Hong Kong on the southern coast of China.