Typhoon Wipha prompts highest cyclone alert in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Observatory announced at 10 a.m. on Sunday that Typhoon Wipha is located about 60 kilometers southeast of Hong Kong. Large waves have been observed off the eastern coast of Hong Kong Island.

The Observatory has issued the highest Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 10 (T10). The warning states that "winds with an average speed of 118 kilometers per hour or more are expected," posing a "major threat to Hong Kong."

The weather office further reported that "due to the eye of the typhoon, hurricane-force winds are blowing in southern Hong Kong," urging the public to "remain vigilant against dangerous winds."

China’s Hainan and Guangdong provinces have also issued high-level alerts, according to the domestic news agency Xinhua.

The typhoon is moving towards Macau and the neighboring Chinese city of Zhuhai. It is expected to make landfall by Sunday evening and reach Vietnam by the end of the week.

An official at Hong Kong International Airport stated that about 500 flights have been canceled due to heavy rain, and around 400 flights have been rescheduled for later times or alternate routes.

Hundreds of people have taken shelter in government-run temporary refuge centers. On Sunday morning, a man was taken to the emergency room, and officials have received multiple reports of fallen trees.

The government has canceled classes for all schools and childcare centers on Sunday.

Local train services have been limited, and trains on open routes have been temporarily suspended.

Typhoon Wipha caused heavy rains and flooding in the Philippines, where the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported two people missing.

Hong Kong last issued the T10 warning during the super typhoon Saola in 2023.