Typhoon Wipha slams Hong Kong and southern China, cancels 500 flights and halts transport

HONG KONG — Typhoon Wipha tore through Hong Kong and parts of southern China on Saturday, leaving a swath of destruction in its wake. With winds surpassing 140 kilometers per hour, the tropical cyclone forced the Hong Kong Observatory to issue a Signal No. 10 warning, its highest alert level, triggering mass flight cancellations and public transportation shutdowns across the city.

Nearly 500 flights were canceled, stranding over 80,000 passengers as airlines such as Cathay Pacific suspended operations. Ferries, rail lines, and bus routes ground to a halt as Typhoon Wipha swept across the Pearl River Delta, toppling scaffolding and uprooting hundreds of trees. Emergency crews responded to 471 tree collapses, and more than 250 people were relocated to temporary shelters as the city battled winds, storm surges, and flash floods.

The storm made landfall at Taishan in Guangdong province later in the day, slightly weakened but still dangerous, with sustained winds nearing 108 kilometers per hour. Officials across Guangdong, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Macau declared red-level emergencies as Typhoon Wipha continued westward, threatening inland cities and forcing large-scale evacuations.

Earlier in the week, Typhoon Wipha had battered the Philippines and Taiwan, causing flooding and at least one reported fatality in the Philippines. The storm disrupted shipping lanes and power supplies before turning toward China’s southeast coast.

According to Al Jazeera, the storm shut down much of Hong Kong’s infrastructure and brought the financial hub to a standstill. The Signal No. 10 alert remained active for hours as city officials urged residents to stay indoors and avoid coastal areas.

According to Associated Press, Typhoon Wipha was already being monitored after causing havoc in Taiwan and the northern Philippines. Thousands had been evacuated from flood-prone zones ahead of the storm, and early damage assessments indicated widespread infrastructure losses across the region.

The South China Morning Post reported that hundreds of thousands were evacuated in Guangdong as local governments scrambled to fortify coastal defenses. Cities issued red alerts and mobilized emergency response teams in anticipation of flooding and landslides.

According to Channel News Asia, even Macau’s casinos temporarily suspended operations—an unprecedented move indicating the severity of Typhoon Wipha’s threat. Public transport, bridges, and tunnels were also shut down.

Reuters confirmed that Typhoon Wipha, though later downgraded to a severe tropical storm, still posed significant risks. High winds and flooding continued to paralyze Hong Kong’s core business and residential districts, with local officials reporting structural damage and blocked roadways.

As Typhoon Wipha moves deeper into mainland China and potentially toward Vietnam, authorities remain on high alert for secondary threats such as landslides, electrical outages, and flash flooding. With the region’s infrastructure strained and recovery efforts already underway, the true extent of the storm’s impact will become clear in the coming days.