Public transport services return to normal as The Hong Kong Observatory downgraded its T8 signal to the No. 3 Strong Wind Signal at 9:20am on Thursday morning, as Severe Tropical Storm Ma-On moved away from Hong Kong after coming within 200 kilometres of the territory on Aug 25, 2022. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)
HONG KONG/GUANGZHOU – The Hong Kong Observatory lowered the typhoon warning to Strong Wind Signal No 3 on Thursday morning as Severe Tropical Storm Ma-on moved away from the territory.
The HKO said in a statement that it lowered the signal to T3 from T8 at 9:20 am, adding that winds with mean speeds of 41 to 62 kilometers per hour were expected.
At 9 am, Ma-on was estimated to be about 280 km west-southwest of Hong Kong and was forecast to move west or west-northwest at about 28 km per hour in the general direction of the coast of western Guangdong
At 9 am, Ma-on was estimated to be about 280 km west-southwest of Hong Kong and was forecast to move west or west-northwest at about 28 km per hour in the general direction of the coast of western Guangdong, the HKO said.
The weather forecaster said it will consider issuing the Standby Signal No 1 or cancel all warning signals, depending on the degree of weakening of local winds.
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However, there will still be occasional gale force winds offshore and on high ground over the southwestern part of the territory at first and seas will be rough with swells, HKO said.
It urged people to stay away from the shoreline and avoid water sports.
The Education Bureau announced at 9:20 am that all kindergartens, schools for children with physical disability and schools for children with intellectual disability will remain suspended. Classes of afternoon primary and secondary schools and classes of evening schools will resume.
Services at Hospital Authority facilities – including Designated Clinics for COVID-19 Confirmed Cases and its tele-consultation service, general out-patient clinics, specialist out-patient clinics, allied health and other day services – will resume gradually within two hours.
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Ma-on, the ninth typhoon of the year, made landfall with wind speeds of up to 118.8 km per hour around 10:30 am Thursday on the coast of Maoming City, south China's Guangdong province, the provincial meteorological station said.
Ma-on will move northwestward at a speed of about 25 km per hour, passing through the city of Maoming and entering Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region in the afternoon with its strength gradually weakened.
Public transport services return to normal in Hong Kong as the Hong Kong Observatory downgraded its T8 typhoon warning signal to the No. 3 Strong Wind Signal after Severe Tropical Storm Ma-On moved away from the city on Aug 25, 2022. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)
A pedestrian in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong braves the strong winds from Severe Tropical Storm Ma-On as it moved away from the city after coming within 200 kilometers on Aug 25, 2022. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)
Public transport services return to normal in Hong Kong as the Hong Kong Observatory downgraded its T8 typhoon warning signal to the No. 3 Strong Wind Signal after Severe Tropical Storm Ma-On moved away from the city on Aug 25, 2022. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)
Pedestrians in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong brave the strong winds from Severe Tropical Storm Ma-On as it moved away from the city after coming within 200 kilometers on Aug 25, 2022. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)
Public transport services return to normal in Hong Kong as the Hong Kong Observatory downgraded its T8 typhoon warning signal to the No. 3 Strong Wind Signal after Severe Tropical Storm Ma-On moved away from the city on Aug 25, 2022. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)
With Xinhua inputs