Typhoon Hato

It is Typhoon season in Hong Kong and we have experienced a few already this year.   The strongest one was Typhoon Hato hitting Hong Kong on August 23, 2017.  The storm hit at high tide and a full moon causing increased flooding.  We have been safe in our apartment next to Kowloon bay.  

For a clarification of terms, here are the two scales used to categorize storms.  

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is used to rank tropical cyclone wind strength in many parts of the world.  This is the scale that is used for the hurricanes that have been hitting the United States this year.

• Category 1 - sustained wind speeds of 74 to 95 m.p.h

• Category 2 - sustained wind speeds of 96 to 110 m.p.h

• Category 3 - sustained wind speeds of 111 to 129 m.p.h

• Category 4 - sustained wind speeds of 130 to 156 m.p.h

• Category 5 - sustained wind speeds greater than 156 m.p.h

This is the scale that is used for Typhoons hitting Hong Kong.  (Note that wind speed is in kilometers/hour not miles/hour.)

Tropical cyclone classes	Maximum sustained winds near the centre (km/h)	Highest tropical cyclone signal in case of a direct hit at Hong Kong
Tropical Depression	62 or below	No. 3
Tropical Storm	63-87	No. 8
Severe Tropical Storm	88-117	No. 9
Typhoon	118-149	No. 10
Severe Typhoon	150-184	No. 10
Super Typhoon	185 or above	No. 10

A category 10 storm in Hong Kong is roughly equivalent to a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale widely used in the Western Hemisphere.  When a storm in Hong Kong is upgraded to a  No. 8 signal or higher schools, businesses, and transportation begin shutting down.  The temple is closed and if it is a Sunday church meetings are cancelled.

Local weather authorities designated Hato a category 10 storm. It passed within 37 miles of the city with maximum sustained winds of 78 miles per hour and gusts of up to 129 mph. Hong Kong last experienced a storm of Hato's strength in 2012, with Typhoon Vicente.  The No 10 signal has been hoisted only 14 times since 1946, or once every 72 storms, according to the Hong Kong Observatory.

There were reports of 34 people injured in Hong Kong while more than 450 flights were cancelled, financial markets suspended and schools closed as Hato bore down.

In residential districts such as Heng Fa Chuen on densely populated Hong Kong island, waves smashed against the sides of oceanfront buildings and surged over a promenade, sweeping away walls and benches and swamping vehicles parked nearby.

The storm affected more than just Hong Kong.  China’s weather service said the storm made landfall about noon in the Pearl river delta city of Zhuhai, in Guangdong province. At least four people died and 26,817 people evacuated to temporary shelters, the official Xinhua news agency said. Nearly two million households were briefly without power.  Eight people were killed in the gambling mecca of Macau, where local media showed cars underwater and people swimming along what are normally streets.

This is looking out our apartment window.  We know a storm is coming because before it ever gets here they put tape on the lower windows and barricades in front of the windows. 

This hotel down the bay from us puts up nets in front of the lower windows when storms are approaching.  Notice part way up one of the panes was still broken during Typhoon Hato.

A tree torn apart by the winds.

This tree is part of our apartment complex.  They stood it back up, trimmed it and it now looks like it is still alive.

This tree is leaning as well as this branch torn off.

              This is the promenade by our apartment where we like to walk.

This is what it looked like during the typhoon.

After the typhoon.  Poor little trees didn't endure the storm very well.

Also on the promenade by our apartment.

Same spot during the typhoon.  Notice how much higher the water was during the storm.

Elder Jenson on the promenade during Typhoon Hato.

Below is a video I pieced together from the internet showing what Typhoon Hato was like.  The video contains scenes from Hong Kong, China and Macau.  The first part is Hong Kong by our apartment.  The last part where the narration mentions "Gambling Hub" is Macau.  Not sure where the rest of the videos were taken.

A Higher view of Hong Kong

Yes there a lots of tall buildings in Hong Kong.  The following information was found on the internet:

"The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China has at least 7,840 high-rise buildings, with no fewer than 1,303 skyscrapers standing taller than 100 m (328 ft) and at least 316 buildings over 150 m (492 ft) in height. The tallest of these skyscrapers is the 108-storey International Commerce Centre, completed in 2010, which stands 484 m (1,588 ft) and is the ninth tallest building in the world. The total built-up height (combined heights) of these skyscrapers is approximately 333.8 km (207 mi), making Hong Kong the world's tallest urban agglomeration. Furthermore, reflective of the SAR's high population densities, Hong Kong has more people living at the 15th floor or higher, and more buildings of at least 100 m (328 ft) and 150 m (492 ft) height than any other place in the world."

There is so much to see in Hong Kong and looking up at tall buildings doesn't let you get a good idea of what is really around.  There are several options to get a higher view of Hong Kong so we are posting three that we have been to which are all located on Hong Kong Island.

Hong Kong Observation Wheel (Ferris Wheel)

The Hong Kong Observation wheel is 60 meters (197 Ft) high and provides 20 minutes of unobstructed 360 degree views of one of the world’s most iconic skylines and its stunning harbor.  If you didn’t get that perfect shot first time around, don’t worry, you have two more chances as the gondolas make three rounds in every ride.

Sister Sorensen enjoying the view from the observation wheel.  The white building with the wavy roof in the right window is the Convention Center. 

View at the top of the observation wheel.

This is the ferry dock in Central as seen from the observationa wheel.  The ferry on the right is just coming in from TST (Tsim Sha Tsui) across the harbour.

This is the International Finance Centre 2 seen from the Observation Wheel.

Central Plaza Hong Kong

Built upon reclaimed land in Wan Chai North, the 78-story Central Plaza stands 374 meters tall (1,227 feet).  After dusk, the bright neon rods at the top of the building change color each quarter-hour,  fashioning the city’s most visible and attractive timepiece.  The plaza’s vast lobby is a palatial picture of marble, paintings and real palm trees.  Sky City Church on the 75^th floor is the world’s highest church located inside a skyscraper.  The Observation area is on the 46th floor.

Looking down on the Hong Kong Area Office Building, the red brick building in the center.

Cars are pretty small from this high.

Looking across Victoria Harbour.  If you draw a line between the large cruise ship in the center and the 2 small ships slightly to the right of it then straight across to the other side you would hit our apartment building right on the water front.

With all of the tall buildings so close together where you put a tennis court or a swimming pool?  On the roof of a building of course.

How many buildings are there in this view.

International Finance Centre 2

Soaring 420 meters (1,378 Ft) above the Central waterfront, this commanding landmark is the tallest building on Hong Kong Island, the second-tallest in the city and one of the tallest in the world.      Observation area is on 55^th floor.

Buildings towering into the clouds.  The building just left of center with the lines crossing is the Bank of China Tower.

The first of 2 pictures showing what the buildings in this area of Hong Kong Island looked like years ago.

Second picture 28 years later.

What a difference 94 years has made with most of the changes coming in the last 40 years.

This is how you put over 8 million people in a relatively small area like Hong Kong.

The circle in front of the white building in the center is the Observation Wheel we went on.  The Tallest building is the International Finance Centre 2 building.

At night many of the buildings are lit up but we haven't seen them at night from above. 

Even at ground level the buildings are quite beautiful at night.  This picture was taken next to the bay close to our apartment.

Macau

The Temple is closed for three weeks for maintenance so we are using the time to see more sights around Hong Kong.  The first week we took a trip with three other missionary couples to Macau and spent two days and one night seeing the sights.  Following is some information about Macau.

The first recorded Chinese inhabitants of the area were people seeking refuge in Macau from invading Mongols during the Southern Song. Under the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), fishermen migrated to Macau from Guangdong and Fujian. The Macau native people were Tanka boat people.

Portuguese traders first settled in Macau in the 1550s. In 1557, Macau was leased to Portugal from Ming China as a trading port. The Portuguese Empire administered the city under Chinese authority and sovereignty until 1887, when Macau, through a mutual agreement between the two countries, became a colony. Sovereignty over Macau was transferred back to China on 20 December 1999.  Macau is known for its casinos and luxury hotels. Its gaming revenue has been the world's largest since 2006, with the economy heavily dependent on gaming and tourism.  Macau is among the world's richest regions.

We did enjoy seeing someplace new but even with all the money that went into all the glitz and flash of the hotel areas we decided we would much prefer a ride up our mountains at home to enjoy the beauties that God has created instead.

This is a picture of the boat we took to Macau.

On our way.

Other passengers going to Macau.

We tried the local cuisine in Macau for lunch. 

Soup of the day that came with the meal.

Sister Sorensen saying YUM!

We stayed in the circular hotel in the picture, The Hard Rock Hotel.

We got to see the Eiffel Tower.

This was the sight as we entered one of the Hotels.

The center of the pillared dome area in the above picture.

Looking up into the dome.

You could go for a gondola ride, inside a hotel.

Sister Sorensen watching the Gondola coming.  The sky is just painted on the ceiling.

The Roman Coliseum. 

There weren't any Christians being feed to the lions while we were there.

This whole area was brand new and we enjoyed looking around with no crowds.

It was nice to see some truth in advertising when they named this "BABYLON CASINO".

There was even a golden calf.  

It was nice to go to Old Macau away from the casinos.  The Portuguese influence was very apparent in the buildings. 

Elder Sorensen by one of the alleys leading to other buildings.

More Portuguese buildings. 

Ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral. This wall is all that was left after a fire.

Monte Forte built in the 16th century by the Jesuits and later used as a military base.

Inside the forte with cannons. 

Looking out from the forte over Old Macau.  The large modern buildings in front of the hills in the center background is Mainland China.

Macau's space needle.  You can actually bungee jump off the tower which is one of the highest bungee jumping sights in the world.  No we didn't jump.