HONG KONG: At least nine people were killed and many are still missing after one of the strongest typhoons on record barrelled into the southern Chinese territory of Macau, with rescuers on Thursday searching submerged cars for trapped people.
Macau’s government broadcaster TDM said Typhoon Hato, a maximum signal 10 storm, was the strongest since 1968 to hit the world’s biggest gambling hub and home to around 600,000 people.
“The city looks like it was just in a war,” said one civil servant, who declined to be named as they were not authorised to speak to the media.
Residents grappling with the aftermath in the former Portuguese colony said Macau was woefully unprepared for Hato and its destructive winds of more than 200 kmh (124 mph).
Hato on Wednesday hit the nearby financial hub of Hong Kong, uprooting trees, flooding streets, forcing hundreds of airline flights to be cancelled and halting financial trading. (Agencies)
Macau’s government broadcaster TDM said Typhoon Hato, a maximum signal 10 storm, was the strongest since 1968 to hit the world’s biggest gambling hub and home to around 600,000 people.
“The city looks like it was just in a war,” said one civil servant, who declined to be named as they were not authorised to speak to the media.
Residents grappling with the aftermath in the former Portuguese colony said Macau was woefully unprepared for Hato and its destructive winds of more than 200 kmh (124 mph).
Hato on Wednesday hit the nearby financial hub of Hong Kong, uprooting trees, flooding streets, forcing hundreds of airline flights to be cancelled and halting financial trading. (Agencies)
