WATCH: South China Decimated by Deadly Typhoon Mangkhut
By Ryan Gandolfo and Jonathan Zhong
It’s a manic Monday in South China.
After experiencing the wrath of Typhoon Mangkhut, which barreled through Guangdong yesterday before reaching Guangxi, many parts of the province are now in recovery mode.
Classes have been cancelled throughout Guangzhou today, as the streets and sidewalks are still covered in shrubbery and debris; however, normal work has resumed for city dwellers, according to the Guangzhou Fire Department’s official WeChat account.
Guangzhou Fire Department announcing classes will be cancelled while work will resume. Screenshot via WeChat
According to AccuWeather, the storm reached the equivalent strength of a Category 5 hurricane while making landfall in the Philippines. By the time Mangkhut landed in South China on Sunday afternoon, its strength had diminished to the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane.
In Guangdong, the typhoon wreaked havoc on everything in its path. As of 8am today (September 17), four deaths had been reported (three killed by falling trees in Guangzhou and one in a building collapse in Dongguan). Close to three million people across Guangdong were evacuated and reaccommodated as a result of the storm. Rough estimates indicate the damage in Guangdong is likely to surpass RMB200-million, according to CCTV.
Below, a video compilation shows scary scenes from Typhoon Mangkhut’s trip over Guangdong (VPN off):
Shenzhen alone lost 8,074 trees, 68 street lamps and 94 vehicles to the storm, along with 97 sign posts and 122 billboards being damaged. Ten water reservoirs opened their spillways,and seawater reportedly surged into the city’s Dapeng District and Yantian District, forcing around 1,500 people to evacuate.
Image by Matthew Bossons/That's
Image via news.sina.com.cn
In Guangzhou, heavy flooding was reported along the Pearl River, with areas alongside the river, including Yangjiang Lu, Binjiang Lu, Shamian Island and Huangcheng Dadao, being heavily impacted, according to GRT Radio. An unpowered vessel on the river suffered a dragging anchor amidst the storm and crashed into Pazhou Bridge. Fortunately, the ship is no longer in danger.
Image via Prakash Mahtani
Image via Prakash Mahtani
In response to the severe typhoon, the National Ministry of Emergency Management and the National Commission for Disaster Reduction have activated a Level-IV National Emergency Response, sending emergency teams to assist in disaster-relief in some of the more severely hit areas, such as Jiangmen and Yangjiang. So far, local governments have also allocated RMB14.4-million to support disaster-relief work. As of this afternoon, around 70,000 clothing items, 30,000 sleeping mats and 10,000 folding beds, along with food and water, have been distributed throughout the disaster area, according to Sina News.
Image via Kuma Liu/WeChat
In Hong Kong, the city is rallying from what’s been called “one of the most powerful storms to hit the city on record,” according to South China Morning Post. Commissioner for Transport Mable Chan revealed to media there are more than 600 blocked sections of road throughout the city. City residents have been scrambling to get to work, hindered by the suspension of rail and bus services caused by the severe typhoon.
Screengrab via @dkitschmann/Instagram
Hong Kong businesses have reopened, despite the slow recovery of public transportation services. Residents are taking to the metro due to the city’s heavily blocked roads, causing huge crowds to form in Hong Kong MTR stations.
Screengrab via @vjkunited/Instagram
Screengrab via @Mason_Chan1999/Instagram
Just west of Hong Kong, in Asia’s gambling capital, Macau took heavy losses not only from flooding and storm damage, but also in casino revenues. The typhoon’s arrival led casinos to close their doors for 33 hours, from 11pm on Saturday to 8am this morning. The gambling suspension is estimated to have cost casino operators up to USD186-million in lost revenue, according to Bloomberg.
[Cover image via @ellam.ilk/Instagram]
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