Hundreds of flights were canceled, over 20 people sustained injuries, and more than 110 millimeters of rainfall were recorded within a span of three hours as a powerful storm swept through the region.
Typhoon Wipha has made landfall, impacting Hong Kong and Thailand. Wind gusts near the Chinese coast and in Hong Kong exceeded 167 kilometers per hour (104 mph). Reports confirm over 20 people were injured, and hundreds of trees were toppled. Over 110 millimeters (4.3 inches) of precipitation fell in just three hours. Hong Kong authorities initially issued the highest alert, Signal 10, which was later downgraded to Signal 8. At least 500 flights were either canceled or delayed, affecting approximately 100,000 passengers.
The typhoon has now reached Thailand. On Phuket Island, a traditional holiday destination, the weather is currently typical for this time of year, as reported by Oleg Sukhin, a local resident and owner of the `New Home Phuket` real estate agency.
«On Phuket Island, nothing extraordinary is happening; we`re experiencing typical, periodic rains for this time of year,» Oleg Sukhin stated. «Today, they started and stopped two or three times throughout the day. Gusts of wind and rain continue, but the weather usually recovers within about an hour. It`s a typical seasonal weather pattern. There`s no truly severe typhoon currently observed, and no particularly alarming warnings remain. Just an hour ago, I was walking on the beach; it was quite windy with strong waves, but nothing more. A heavy tropical downpour might occur tonight, but again, nothing critical. No emergency services here have been put on full alert; everything is operating normally.»
Oleg Sukhin
Owner of `New Home Phuket` real estate agency
Russian tourists in Hong Kong did not require assistance from travel operators due to Typhoon Wipha. Separately, off the coast of Vietnam, a tourist boat capsized due to the typhoon the previous day.
The cruise vessel was carrying 53 individuals: 48 passengers and five crew members. It overturned due to a sudden squall, resulting in 38 fatalities. Several others are still reported missing.
