LAMMA ISLAND, Hong Kong – On September 29, for the first time in two years, a massive typhoon passed close enough to Hong Kong for the city to shut down as most people took shelter indoors. With Typhoon Nesat nearby, the city's Number-Eight storm-warning went up at 4:40 a.m. and stayed until 4:10 p.m.
Hurricane-force winds buffeted trees and knocked hundreds down. Tall waves crashed ashore. Rain fell too, varying from heavy to light to none. As the storm subsided, we sent a photographer to inspect some of Nesat's mischief.
A few people hit by flying debris or injured in other storm-related mishaps sought treatment at hospitals. Most other folks enjoyed a chance to sleep in and rest at home. The early-morning Signal Eight meant that schools, offices and most businesses stayed closed.
Many Hong Kong people jokingly call the Number-Eight warning a “mahjong” signal. That's because when it goes up they can forget about work, meet friends and play mahjong, a popular game with noisy tiles and (often) gambling.
Movie-theatres filled with people keen to enjoy themselves. But no one could have reached a cinema from the outlying islands at the height of the storm because the ferry companies suspended services. At the airport, travelers saw a few flights cancelled. Many more had delays. In the city core, most buses stayed parked.
Nesat ranks as the strongest among 17 typhoons to hit China this year. At a previous stop, the Philippines, the storm did more damage. There, at least 35 people died and thousands battled flood waters, notably on the main island of Luzon.
Hong Kong's “captains of industry” detest typhoons that come too close, leading to lost productivity. But ordinary folks, whether living in tall towers or on remote islands, love them.
Most Hong Kong people work too hard for their physical and mental health. Any chance for extra rest counts as a damn good thing.
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