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Photos: Typhoon Utor causes floods and transport chaos in the PRD

Posted: 08/15/2013 6:38 pm

Even staying indoors doesn’t guarantee safety, images courtesy of Sina Weibo

Utor, one of the strongest typhoons to hit Guangdong since 2008, has left at least two dead and five missing in Guangdong.

Southern Metropolis Daily reported on its microblog today that the two deaths happened in the western part of the province that took the brunt of of the typhoon. We’ll bring you more info when we get it.

Also, at least five were left missing after the dam of a hydropower station in Gaozhou broke, China Daily reports.

Although the subsequent flood that destroyed at least two houses, cut off electricity and left villagers short of fresh water and food has now receded, heavy rains have continued to pound the area.

As with Typhoon Vicente last year, falling trees will again leave authorities around the province with a hell of a clean-up operation.

Although the typhoon has now passed through Guangdong, expect to see heavy rain for the rest of the week.

Here are some images of the damage done by the typhoon.

Guangzhou

Knowing that transport would be badly affected by the typhoon, Guangzhou Railway said 500 company personnel were mobilized to examine ports, highways, banks, tunnels and bridges, and make flood control preparations, according to Xinhua.

The commute for Guangzhou residents become significantly less convenient, image courtesy of Information Times

And dogs didn’t have it easy either, image courtesy of Information Times

And carrying an umbrella was folly too, image courtesy of Xinkuaibao

Shenzhen

Although the typhoon did not reach within 200km of Shenzhen, ferry services between Shenzhen, Macao and Hong Kong were suspended Tuesday and Wednesday and strong winds and heavy rainfall affected the city, Shenzhen Daily reports.

Also, Guangzhou Daily reported that Shenzhen Bay checkpoint in Nanshan District was closed for five hours due to the heavy rain and strong winds.

Traffic laws were relaxed to allow vehicles to avoid the most flooded lanes, image courtesy of Sina Weibo

A large number of trees were felled, which of course can be extremely dangerous, image courtesy of Sina Weibo

However, nothing stopped local residents from fishing in the lake at Honghu Park, image courtesy of Caixin

Dongguan

Dongguan will continue to see heavy rains for the next week, according to the local observatory’s microblog.

Roads were also flooded in Dongguan and the situation may take over a week to improve, image courtesy of Sina Weibo

Getting around will be difficult, plan accordingly, image courtesy of Sina Weibo

And you probably shouldn’t bother planning any picnics, image courtesy of Sina Weibo

Haohao

[Updated] Enjoy last gasps of sunshine, typhoon Utor is on its way

Posted: 08/12/2013 1:29 pm

It’s been an incredible few days in the Pearl River Delta with clear blue skies and blazing sun, but it’s all about to come to an end.

It’s literally the “calm before the storm”, and the storm, named Utor, is 800 kilometres away from the shores of South China as this story is published.  The Hong Kong Observatory expects to raise signal 1 later this afternoon as the typhoon inches closer. It’s current trajectory shows it slamming into western Guangdong by mid week.

The forecast for the next seven days is mostly wet and stormy, so batten down the hatches.  If you’ve got some photos of the storm, we’d love to publish them. Just end them over to admin-at-thenanfang-dot-com.

Updated @ 16:09

The Hong Kong Observatory officially issued standby signal 1 at 4:05pm.

Reports of the typhoon’s damage in the Philippines are also coming in.  One report, from the New York Times, says 23 fishermen there are missing:

Typhoon Utor, described as the strongest typhoon globally so far this year, slammed ashore in mountainous eastern Aurora province with sustained winds of 175 kilometers (109 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 210 kph (130 mph).

Utor is 730 kilometres from the PRD at the time this was published (4:12pm).

Updated @ 9:37 Tuesday August 13

The Hong Kong Observatory issued standby signal no. 3 at 4:40 this morning. It says Utor is about 460 km southwest of the PRD, and is moving towards the west coast of Guangdong.

It’s clouded over in Shenzhen and Hong Kong as the storm advances.

Haohao
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