Super Typhoon Mangkhut kills 64 in the Philippines, 2 in China

After making landfall in Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province, China, on the afternoon of September 16 with strong winds of 160 km/h, Typhoon Mangkhut took the lives of at least 2 people and forced more than 100,000 people to evacuate, China's national television channel (CCTV)report

Xinhua News AgencyCiting an announcement from the Chinese government, nearly 2.5 million residents in Guangdong province were affected by the storm, 18,000 temporary accommodation facilities were opened for evacuees.

Before Typhoon Mangkhut hit, the government asked fishermen to anchor their boats in safe areas and not go out to sea to fish. Some who did not comply were arrested.Xinhua News Agencyreport

In Hong Kong, floodwaters rose 3.35 metres in Victoria Harbour, cutting off Hong Kong Island from the rest of the city.

Super Typhoon Mangkhut has challenged Hong Kong’s complex storm protection system. The city’s mountainous terrain often poses a challenge to storms, with steep slopes holding back water and preventing landslides.

However, the Hong Kong Observatory issued a landslide warning yesterday, September 16, asking people to stay away from mountainous areas and urgently evacuate residents living in areas at risk of landslides.

Meanwhile, landslides following Typhoon Mangkhut in the Philippines have trapped dozens of people, including at least 40 gold miners and many others taking refuge in a church.

News agencyAPAt least 64 people have died in landslides or floods, according to the Philippine National Police.

Responding to the press, Mr. Francis Tolentino, senior advisor to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, estimated that more than 5.7 million people were directly affected by the storm, and said that providing food and essential goods to the most severely damaged areas would be a big challenge.

Authorities are also concerned that rice, corn and banana crops in Cagayan province will be devastated after Typhoon Mangkhut makes landfall. Bloomberg estimates that the Philippines will suffer losses of about 5-6% of GDP.

Chuck Watson, a disaster expert at the Enki Institute in the US, said that China and Hong Kong could lose up to 50 billion USD because of Typhoon Mangkhut.

Macau, Asia’s gambling haven, also closed 42 casinos for the first time because of the storm. Authorities warned that Macau was one of the areas hit hard by flooding from Typhoon Mangkhut. “The closure of casinos is for the safety of staff, visitors and residents,”AFPAbout 200,000 households lost power, the Macau government announced on the evening of September 16.

In 2017, the Macau government was heavily criticized for failing to prepare for Typhoon Hato, which caused widespread damage and killed 12 people.