Observatory cancels signals as typhoon moves on
The Observatory on Tuesday cancelled all typhoon signals as severe tropical storm Talim moved further away from Hong Kong, while authorities on the mainland and in Vietnam ordered evacuations in the face of the approaching storm. The standby signal No 1 was taken down at 8.40am as the territory's first typhoon of the year moved on. "The outer rainbands associated with Talim will continue to bring squally showers and thunderstorms to Hong Kong today. There will still be swells. Members of the public are advised to stay away from the shoreline, and not to engage in water sports," the Observatory said. Talim made landfall over Gungdong at about midnight. The Xinhua News Agency reported that Guangdong authorities ordered the evacuation of nearly 230,000 people as of 5pm on Monday. Local authorities also ordered the closure of 68 coastal tourist destinations, called back 2,702 fishing vessels and ordered 8,262 fish-farming workers to be evacuated ashore. Officials also warned of a likely second landfall in Guangxi on Tuesday morning.  Authorities in Vietnam said they were preparing to evacuate about 30,000 people from the areas forecast to be hardest hit in Quang Ninh and Hai Phong provinces from Monday afternoon. Talim "might be one of the biggest to hit the Gulf of Tonkin in recent years", Vietnam's top disaster response committee said in an online statement. Tourists have been advised to leave outlying islands and airlines have rescheduled services to avoid the storm. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh directed disaster response teams to prepare for "immediate rescue and relief works" late on Sunday, warning of possible floods. (additional reporting by AFP)_____________________________
Last updated: 2023-07-18 HKT 08:40 