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Hong Kong faces anger over typhoon alert signals during Prapiroon
Typhoon Prapiroon brought winds of up to 200 km/h, while unions said workers were put at risk after a higher alert was not hoisted.
Hong Kong’s observatory came under criticism after Typhoon Prapiroon hit parts of the city without a storm warning being raised above the No 3 signal, even as winds reached up to 200 km/h, according to an archived report by SCMP Economy.
Unions said the lower alert left workers facing danger because they were required to go to work after a No 8 signal was not issued. The storm disrupted daily life, toppling cargo, blowing down trees, and triggering traffic and flight chaos, including thousands being stranded at the airport, the report said.
The outlet also noted that some residents suffered bee stings after hives were dislodged from trees, and that people blamed bystanders for their anger. Meteorologist Clarence Fong Chi-kong urged the observatory to update its storm classification system, saying it has become outdated as Hong Kong’s population has expanded beyond the urban core into the New Territories and outlying islands.