Typhoon Hato hits Chinese city Macau, kills 12, injures 153

24 Aug 2017 12:29 PM IST

Hong Kong's weather authorities had raised the hurricane signal to the highest level for the first time in five years.

Residents waded in waist-high murky water and rows of city buses sat half-submerged on city streets (Photo: AP)
Typhoon Hato roared into the area Wednesday with winds of up to 160 kilometers (99 miles) per hour. It weakened into a tropical storm Thursday as it moved farther west inland.
Almost 27,000 people were evacuated to emergency shelters, while extensive damage to farmland due to the heavy rain and high tides was also reported.
Hato's fierce gales blew out windows on skyscrapers in the Asian financial capital, raining shattered glass onto the eerily quiet streets below.
Residents waded in waist-high murky water and rows of city buses sat half-submerged on city streets.
People were just swimming, they cried for help. There were no boats. The water came so suddenly,\" said Coutinho.
\"It's a calamity, the losses are high and a lot of buildings need repair,\" said Macau lawmaker Jose Pereira Coutinho.
At least 153 were injured amid extensive flooding, power outages, and the smashing of doors and windows by the high winds and driving rain.
A sudden deluge swamped the gambling hub of Macau, submerging streets and stranding residents.

The most powerful typhoon to hit the southern Chinese region in more than half a century left at least 12 dead.

Hong Kong's weather authorities had raised the hurricane signal to the highest level for the first time in five years.