Hong Kong conglomerate, Shun Tak Holdings, has pledged to conduct a “thorough” investigation into the outer walls that were torn off its Nova Grand residential property during the height of Typhoon Wipha on Sunday.
Social media footage shared during the level 10 cyclone shows large pieces of stone cladding tumbling down the upscale property, with local media reporting that the incident occurred on the 44th and 45th floors of Nova Grand’s Tower 5.
In a statement cited by Macao Daily News, Shun Tak said that it immediately contacted the property’s main contractor, China Construction Engineering (Macau) Company Limited, to learn more about the incident and was able to verify that no one was harmed.
“Shun Tak has urged the contractor to immediately carry out a thorough investigation and to begin repairs,” the company said.
Residents who spoke to TDM expressed concerns regarding the dangers of falling facades during extreme weather events, although one admitted that many locals were more concerned with water pipes and power outages.
Ben Leong, the head of the General Assembly of the Architects Association of Macau, said “all certified contractors and designers” are required to undergo the government-mandated tests that ensure tile adhesion standards are being met. Leong added that in recent years, newer and safer cladding had been used in place of traditional facade material such as mosaic stones and tiles.
Meanwhile, an abandoned structure located in Pátio do Espinho suddenly collapsed shortly after the typhoon yesterday morning, with no injuries recorded. The site has been sealed off and the building is set to be demolished after a team from the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau and the Cultural Affairs Bureau conducts an inspection.
[See more: With Wipha, Macao records the earliest no. 10 typhoon signal in a year since records began]
In the aftermath of Typhoon Wipha, the Macao government is also looking at the possibility of keeping the Macao Bridge open during a no. 8 or higher cyclone signal. As the fourth cross-sea link between Macao and Taipa, the Macao Bridge was closed off when Wipha was upgraded to a typhoon no. 8, even though the structure is equipped with wind protection barriers that allow for vehicles to pass through during typhoons.
The Public Works Bureau explained that the closure decision was made as the bridge had not experienced a level 8 or higher typhoon since its opening last October. Out of precaution, the authorities decided to close the bridge this time around, as no relevant data had been collected to make an assessment on the wind speeds.
“During the current typhoon bridge closure, the Public Works Bureau collected data by installing 16 instruments for wind measurement,” the department wrote. “Teh next step will be to organise the data and conduct analysis.”
As of 11 am, Typhoon Wipha was located 770 kilometres from Macao and was directly approaching Vietnam, where it is causing heavy rainfall and flooding.
Since the lifting of typhoon alerts yesterday, life in Macao has largely returned to normal, with the government reopening around 80 percent of Macao’s parks and 90 percent of local leisure and dog walking areas yesterday.
Similarly, the Sports Bureau reopened most of its facilities yesterday and will restart operation of its four outdoor swimming pools tomorrow. These include the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Swimming Pool, Taipa Central Park Swimming Pool, Hac Sa Park Swimming Pool and Cheoc Van Swimming Pool.
