Typhoon Ragasa, which hammered Macao for much of today, was downgraded from a no. 10 to a no. 8 typhoon (T8) at 4 pm. The red storm surge warning was also lowered to blue at 3 pm, with flooding no longer expected to exceed 0.5 metres above street level.
Meteorologists cautioned that the cyclone remains a threat, however, with wind speeds between 63 to 117 kilometres per hour continuing to batter the city.
As of 3 pm, Ragasa was located roughly 120 kilometres southwest of Macao and was moving away from the SAR toward the western part of Guangdong, at a rate of 20 kilometres per hour.
Considered to be the strongest storm on Earth so far this year, Ragasa was upgraded to a signal no. 10 typhoon – the highest in Macao’s tropical cyclone warning system – at 5:30 am today. As the cyclone approached within 100 kilometres of the city, wind speeds rose to more than 118 kilometres per hour.
A red storm surge warning was issued at around the same time, with low-lying areas facing flooding of up to 2.5 metres. The storm surge resulted in the authorities preemptively switching off power in these districts, a decision that impacted roughly 16,000 households.
[See more: As it happened: Super Typhoon Ragasa batters Macao]
Some of the areas in the peninsula that were hit by severe flooding and power outages included Rua do Almirante Sérgio, Praça de Ponte e Horta, Rua da Praia do Manduco, Barra, Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro (San Ma Lo), Rua das Estalagens, Patane, Avenida do Almirante Lacerda, Rua da Doca do Lam Mau, Fai Chi Kei, San Kio and Rua da Emenda.
In Taipa and Coloane, impacted areas included Rotunda Ouvidor Arriaga, Rua dos Hortelãos and the area surrounding the Chapel of St. Francis Xavier.
According to Macao’s electricity provider, CEM, power is now being gradually restored.
Prior to the flooding, the Macao government evacuated at least 2,400 people from over 7,900 households. However, 230 people from roughly 78 households turned down the offer to be moved to safety.
While the streets were flooded, local authorities conducted patrols on jet skis and life rafts, rescuing 13 residents caught in the flood in the area between Rua de Cinco de Outubro and Rua do Tarrafeiro. Two other individuals situated around the Hong Kung Temple were also saved from the floods after being spotted by rescue personnel.
As of 3 pm, a total of 675 people had made use of the government’s Emergency Shelters. Meanwhile, 140 civil protection incidents were reported as of 2 pm today, mostly concerning fallen objects. Remarkably, there was only one injury reported.
Local forecasters have not indicated when they will lower the no. 8 signal to no. 3 – a move that will trigger the gradual resumption of public transport and the reopening of city bridges. However, the observatory in neighbouring Hong Kong – some 60 kilometres from Macao – says it will consider doing so from 8 pm.
