42 h. ago Fengshen: hot weather back by weekend as Hong Kong lowers all typhoon signals

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Daytime temperatures are expected to rise later this week, the Hong Kong Observatory has said, as it cancelled all typhoon signals. The weather forecaster lowered the No 3 signal at 6.20pm on Tuesday as Tropical Cyclone Fengshen, which means “the god of wind” in Chinese, departed. The strong monsoon signal was in force. The Observatory warned that local winds...

Politics

64 h. ago Hong Kong issues T3 signal as Tropical Storm Fengshen edges closer

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong’s Observatory issued the No 3 typhoon warning at 5.20pm on Monday, unusually skipping the No 1 signal due to the combined effect of Tropical Storm Fengshen and a northeast monsoon. The forecaster also warned that rain would be more frequent on Tuesday and early on Wednesday. “It will be persistently windy in the next couple of days. Temperatures...

Events

4 d. ago Hong Kong may issue T3 on Monday as Tropical Storm Fengshen edges closer

Hong Kong’s weather forecaster may issue the No 3 typhoon warning signal on Monday as Tropical Storm Fengshen moves closer to the coast of Guangdong, with temperatures set to fall to about 20 degrees Celsius (68 Fahrenheit). The Hong Kong Observatory said on Saturday that Fengshen, which means “the god of wind” in Chinese, would come within 800km (497 miles) of Hong Kong the following day and would be closest to the city on Tuesday. “With Fengshen edging closer to the coast of Guangdong later on...

Events

9 d. ago UN accreditation ‘will give Hong Kong’s rescue team greater global role’

Hong Kong’s urban search and rescue team is gearing up to win UN accreditation early next year, the city’s retiring deputy fire chief has said. This would allow it to play a more significant role in international rescue efforts, according to Angus Wong Chun-yip, the Fire Services Department’s outgoing deputy director of operations. Accreditation would allow the team to work independently for seven days. Wong said that while the nature of the job had remained constant over his 31-year career,...

Events

1 week ago New film chronicles animal welfare group’s efforts to save Hong Kong’s strays

Director Au Cheuk-man has spent four years making a documentary chronicling the work of an animal welfare group that rescues animals in different corners of Hong Kong, including rural areas and underground casinos. The film, which began as a six-month commitment, unexpectedly turned into a four-year journey from 2019 to 2023, during which Au and Paws Guardian Rescue Shelter tracked efforts to save and rehome 40 stray animals. Au, who previously directed another documentary about animal...

Politics

1 week ago Does Hong Kong need to criminalise storm chasing or will idea blow over?

Super Typhoon Ragasa recently passed within about 120km of Hong Kong and led to the No 10 warning signal being raised. Thankfully, advance warning of the storm and comprehensive preparations in Hong Kong and mainland China, including the evacuation of nearly 2 million people in high-risk areas of Guangdong, averted catastrophe. Still, the impact was significant, with 101 injuries reported in Hong Kong and substantial property damage. Among the debris left in Ragasa’s wake is a debate over...

Events

2 w. ago Man rescued after falling into Hong Kong sea from yacht during T3 warning signal

A man was rescued after falling into the sea from a yacht in Hong Kong on Saturday evening after allegedly becoming intoxicated during a party on board while a No 3 signal was in effect for Typhoon Matmo. Police received a report that a man had fallen into the sea at 10.08pm on Saturday near the Sam Ka Tsuen pier in Lei Yue Mun. The 45-year-old, surnamed Lau, was rescued by firefighters and rushed to United Christian Hospital in Kwun Tong for treatment. He was unconscious at the time. According...

Events

2 w. ago Hong Kong man rescued after falling into sea from yacht during T3 warning signal

A man was rescued after falling into the sea from a yacht in Hong Kong on Saturday evening after becoming intoxicated during a party on board while a No 3 signal was in effect for Typhoon Matmo. Police received a report that a man had fallen into the sea at 10.08pm on Saturday near Sam Ka Tsuen pier in Lei Yue Mun. The 45-year-old, surnamed Lau, was rescued by firefighters and rushed to United Christian Hospital in Kwun Tong for treatment. He was unconscious at the time. According to the force,...

Events

2 w. ago Hong Kong lowers storm warning to T1, but more than 100 flights disrupted by Matmo

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. More than 100 flights were expected to be disrupted in Hong Kong on Sunday due to Typhoon Matmo, with up to 27 potentially cancelled, according to the Airport Authority. The Observatory downgraded the No 3 typhoon warning to the No 1 standby signal at 3.40pm on Sunday as Matmo moved away from the city. “With Matmo departing, the weather will improve over the...

Events

2 w. ago Hong Kong to issue T3 at 12.20pm as storm Matmo edges closer

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong’s weather forecaster will issue the No 3 typhoon warning signal at 12.20pm on Saturday as Severe Tropical Storm Matmo moves closer to the city. Education authorities also announced that classes for kindergartens and schools for children with physical and intellectual disabilities will be suspended after noon. “In the past few hours, Matmo moved...

Events

2 w. ago Hong Kong issues T3 as Severe Tropical Storm Matmo edges closer

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong’s weather forecaster has issued the No 3 typhoon warning signal as Severe Tropical Storm Matmo moves closer to the city. The Hong Kong Observatory raised the signal at 12.20pm and said it was expected to keep it in force at least until 10pm. Education authorities also announced that kindergartens and schools for children with physical and...

Events

2 w. ago Typhoon Matmo: Hong Kong T3 signal to remain in force until noon on Sunday

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong’s weather forecaster has said the No 3 warning signal will remain in force until at least noon on Sunday, with Typhoon Matmo expected to be closest to the city in the early hours. The Observatory raised the No 3 typhoon signal at 12.20pm on Saturday. “According to the present forecast, Matmo will be closest to Hong Kong in the small hours and Sunday...

Politics

2 w. ago Hong Kong to issue T1 signal at 7.40pm, assess need for higher warning later

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. The Hong Kong Observatory has said it will issue the No 1 typhoon standby signal at 7.40pm on Friday and assess the need for a higher one the next day as Severe Tropical Cyclone Matmo moves nearer to the city. Matmo was also set to be the 12th storm to trigger a warning in Hong Kong this year, setting a new record since 1946, but the typhoon season had yet to...

Events

2 w. ago Hong Kong issues T1 signal, to assess need for higher warning later

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. The Hong Kong Observatory issued the No 1 typhoon warning at 7.40pm on Friday and said it would assess the need for a higher signal the next day, as Severe Tropical Cyclone Matmo moves nearer to the city. Matmo was the 12th storm to trigger a warning in Hong Kong this year, the most since 1946, but the typhoon season had yet to come to an end, it warned. The...

Events

2 w. ago Hong Kong may issue No 1 typhoon signal on Friday as Tropical Storm Matmo nears

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong’s weather forecaster will consider issuing the No 1 typhoon warning signal on Friday night as a tropical storm moves across the Philippines and enters the South China Sea. The Hong Kong Observatory said on Thursday that Tropical Storm Matmo was centred about 610km (380 miles) east of Manila at noon and was moving west-northwest at about 22km/h...

Events

3 w. ago Man, 54, charged over swimming at closed Hong Kong beach during Ragasa

A 54-year-old man has been prosecuted for allegedly swimming at a closed public beach in Hong Kong while a No 10 signal was in force under Super Typhoon Ragasa, the second instance in as many days of storm thrill-seekers falling foul of the law. Police said on Friday that the force was alerted at noon on Wednesday that a man was suspected of swimming at a closed public beach on Castle Peak Road in Tuen Mun while the No 10 warning signal was in effect. Officers arrived at the scene and issued a...

Society

3 w. ago Hong Kong lowers typhoon warning signal to No 1 as Ragasa weakens

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing now for 50 per cent off during our two-day flash sale. Hong Kong’s weather forecaster has further downgraded the typhoon warning signal to No 1 as Tropical Storm Ragasa continues to move away after wreaking havoc in the city. Education authorities also announced on Thursday that afternoon kindergarten classes would resume, while morning classes remained...

Events

3 w. ago Hong Kong to cancel all typhoon warning signals at 11.20am as Ragasa moves away

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing now for 50 per cent off during our two-day flash sale. Hong Kong’s weather forecaster will cancel all typhoon warning signals at 11.20am on Thursday as Tropical Storm Ragasa continues to move away after wreaking havoc in the city. Education authorities also announced on Thursday that afternoon kindergarten classes would resume, while morning classes remained...

Events

3 w. ago Hong Kong cancels all typhoon warning signals as Ragasa moves away

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing now for 50 per cent off during our two-day flash sale. Hong Kong’s weather forecaster has cancelled all typhoon warning signals as Tropical Storm Ragasa continues to move away after wreaking havoc in the city. Education authorities also announced on Thursday that afternoon kindergarten classes would resume, while morning classes remained suspended. The Hong...

Events

4 w. ago Hong Kong buildings swaying in Super Typhoon Ragasa ‘nothing to worry about’

As Super Typhoon Ragasa battered Hong Kong with hurricane-strength winds on Wednesday morning, some worried residents felt their high-rise buildings sway, but experts and authorities have assured the public that such movements are normal. Ragasa, which triggered the highest-level No 10 warning signal, came within about 100km to the south of Hong Kong in the morning before the storm was downgraded to a severe typhoon in the afternoon. “Most of the buildings in Hong Kong have been built with wind...

Politics