Hong Kong recovers after world's most powerful typhoon

Tengrinews.kz – On Thursday, Hong Kong resumed flights from its international airport following a 36-hour suspension, as businesses, transportation services, and some schools also reopened after the world's most powerful tropical cyclone of the year struck the financial hub, according to Reuters.

On Tuesday afternoon, Typhoon Ragasa brought the densely populated city to a standstill after sweeping through northern Philippines and Taiwan, where 14 people were killed, and then hitting Yangjiang, a city in southern China, on Wednesday.

More than 100 people were injured in Hong Kong, where authorities issued the highest typhoon warning level — Signal 10 — for much of Wednesday.

By Thursday, the Hong Kong Observatory downgraded the warning to the No. 3 signal, the second highest, prompting the closure of kindergartens and some schools, as Ragasa moved away from the city and weakened into a tropical storm.

On Wednesday, huge waves battered Hong Kong’s eastern and southern coastlines, causing widespread flooding that submerged roads and residential buildings.

The Hong Kong Airport Authority announced that airlines would gradually resume flights starting at 6 a.m. local time, with all three runways operating simultaneously.

Authorities also stated they were urgently repairing damaged roads, clearing over 1,000 fallen trees, and responding to around 85 flood-related incidents.

Prior to Ragasa’s landfall, authorities had distributed sandbags to residents in low-lying areas to reinforce their homes. Meanwhile, many people stocked up on essential supplies, which led to empty supermarket shelves and a sharp increase in prices for fresh vegetables.