Storm in a teacup as Linfa weakens and moves away from Hong Kong

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Storm in a teacup as Linfa weakens and moves away from Hong Kong

PUBLISHED : Thursday, 09 July, 2015, 11:32pm
UPDATED : Thursday, 09 July, 2015, 11:37pm

Lai Ying-kit [email protected]

Commuters seek transport to get home as the weather deteriorates. Photo: Sam Tsang

It was a storm in a teacup yesterday as the No 8 typhoon signal was raised for the first time this year, but lasted barely six hours without bringing the severe weather that justifies shutting down public services.

Severe tropical storm Linfa is expected to weaken and move away from Hong Kong today after sweeping across eastern Guangdong yesterday.

The Observatory issued the No 8 signal at 4.40pm as Linfa approached from the east. It was cancelled at 10.10pm and downgraded to a tropical storm.

Kindergarten and special school classes had earlier been suspended, the container port stopped handling cargo and tourist attractions such as Ocean Park and Disneyland closed.

The Airport Authority also had to reschedule hundreds of flights for yesterday and today.

The storm, which at one stage was upgraded to a typhoon, made landfall in the eastern Guangdong city of Lufeng around noon and then moved westwards towards the Pearl River estuary at about 16 km/h.

Gusts of up to 47 km/h and 44km/h were recorded at Chek Lap Kok and Lau Fau Shan.

Tourists check their mobile phones amid windy conditions after the No8 signal was issued yesterday. Photo: Dickson Lee

The observatory said the city would see squally showers and northerly winds early today. But it did not expect Linfa's influence to last long in Hong Kong.

Senior scientific officer Song Man-kuen said Linfa accelerated yesterday and was expected to weaken and move away this morning. "The weather will improve gradually," she added.

Yesterday afternoon, bus stops and MTR stations were jammed with commuters leaving work early even though extra services were deployed.

A courier surnamed Chan said he walked from Wan Chai to the Central Library in Causeway Bay to find a bus. "The traffic is utterly chaotic. I walked all the way from Wan Chai as I couldn't get on a bus. And the MTR is full. I am waiting for my bus back to Yuen Long," he said.

Frentee Ji, a student, got caught in the MTR crowds at Kowloon Tong. "All the shops at Festival Walk were closed. I got stuck for almost 20 minutes and could not get on a train," Ji said.

Meanwhile, mainland media reported that torrential rain flooded several main roads in Shantou near Lufeng.

Additional reporting by Naomi Ng, Allen Au-yeung and Frank Feng