The Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) lowered all its typhoon warning signals at 3:30 pm today. The observatory also cancelled a thunderstorm warning at 3:52 pm.
According to an SMG statement, Typhoon Higos was estimated to be about 190 km northwest of Macao at 3 pm.
Storm warning signals were hoisted in Macao between 8 pm on Monday (standby signal No. 1) and 3:30 pm today (signal No. 3). Signals No. 8, 9 and 10 were up between 11:30 pm yesterday and 11:30 am today.
It was the first time since September 2018 that signal No. 10 – the highest of Macao’s five-level storm-warning system – needed to be hoisted. Signal No. 10 was up for 2 1/2 hours. It was hoisted at 5 am today when Typhoon Higos was 30 km south-southeast of Macao. It was replaced by signal No. 8 at 7:30 am.
No major damage and injuries were reported during the typhoon. The Civil Protection Operations Centre (COPC) recorded 274 incidents and 12 “minor” and three “moderate” injuries (according to the international Injury Severity Score/ISS).
Macao gradually returned to normality this afternoon when public transport resumed and public administration offices and most private businesses reopened. Casinos, some of which closed during after signal No. 8 had been hoisted Tuesday night, were also back in business. Macao has 41 casinos.
Residents described Typhoon Higos as “very noisy” but “not too destructive”. Due to the noise many residents stayed awake overnight.
Flooding was much less severe than forecast.
(Macau Post Daily/Macau News)
PHOTO © GCS
