Typhoon Nesat hits China

[Meatpie]

Typhoon Nesat hit Hainan island in south China on Thursday after it swept past Hong Kong, closing financial markets, schools and most businesses in one of Asia’s most biggest financial centres.

China recalled ships, suspended flights and ferry services in preparation for the typhoon, the official Xinhua news agency said, after it passed through the Philippines where it left at least 39 people dead and 31 missing .

“Nesat has made landfall over the northeastern part of Hainan Island this afternoon, and continues to move further away from Hong Kong,” the weather service said in a statement.
China evacuated around 58,000 people in the resort island of Hainan and urged schools to cancel classes ahead of the storm making landfall on its east coast, Xinhua added.
The typhoon will bring heavy rain to Hainan as well as the export-dependent province of Guangdong, and will impact upon a swathe of southern China over the next 24 hours, the report said.

No deaths were reported in Hong Kong and damage was minimal, but local television showed footage of at least two people who were hospitalised after being hit by falling debris as a result of strong winds.

Several window panes from the headquarters of Hang Seng Bank in the business district fell, but no one was injured.
Financial markets were closed all of Thursday after the Hong Kong Observatory’s No.8 typhoon warning signal.

Hong Kong has a series of different typhoon warnings. Schools, businesses and government services stop when any No.8 or above typhoon warning is issued.
The former British colony saw winds of over 120 kms (72 miles) per hour as Nesat went past it, having made its way there from the Philippines, where initial estimates of crop damage were revised up sharply.

The Philippines’ National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator Angelito Banayo told Reuters that in the Central Luzon region alone, more than 103,000 tonnes of rice were damaged — valued at more than $50 million.

“The streets are empty and all the shops are closed,” said Sharon Guan, a tourist who was waiting for her ferry at the China Ferry Terminal. “It’s so unusual to see Hong Kong so deserted at this hour.”
Tropical cyclones regularly hit Hong Kong, the Philippines and other coastal regions of south China in summer and early in autumn.

http://www.torontosun.com/2011/09/29/typhoon-nesat-hits-china