TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING BULLETIN (SIGNAL NO. 3)

 

TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING BULLETIN
 
HERE IS THE LATEST TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING BULLETIN ISSUED
BY THE HONG KONG OBSERVATORY.
 
THE STRONG WIND SIGNAL, NO. 3 IS IN FORCE.
 
THIS MEANS THAT WINDS WITH MEAN SPEEDS OF 41 TO 62
KILOMETRES PER HOUR ARE EXPECTED.
 
AT 5 P.M., TROPICAL STORM MERBOK WAS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT
90 KILOMETRES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF HONG KONG OBSERVATORY
(NEAR 21.6 DEGREES NORTH 114.5 DEGREES EAST) AND IS
FORECAST TO MOVE NORTH-NORTHWEST AT ABOUT 20 KILOMETRES PER
HOUR TOWARDS THE VICINITY OF THE PEARL RIVER ESTUARY.

 

MERBOK CONTINUED TO EDGE CLOSER TO THE PEARL RIVER ESTUARY
IN THE PAST FEW HOURS. ACCORDING TO THE CURRENT FORECAST
TRACK, MERBOK IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL WITHIN 50
KILOMETERS OF HONG KONG AROUND MIDNIGHT TONIGHT. ALTHOUGH
THE REGION OF GALE WIND ASSOCIATED WITH MERBOK IS RATHER
SMALL AND MAINLY LOCATED TO THE EAST AND SOUTH OF ITS
CENTRE, GALE FORCE WIND IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT PARTS OF THE
TERRITORY WHEN THE CENTRE OF MERBOK COMES VERY CLOSE
TONIGHT. 
 
IN THE PAST FEW HOURS, LOCAL WINDS WERE STRENGTHENING WITH
OCCASIONAL GALES BEGINNING TO AFFECT THE OFFSHORE AREAS.
THE NUMBER 8 GALE OR STORM SIGNAL WILL BE ISSUED SHORTLY. 
 
AS THE SEA WILL BE ROUGH AND THERE ARE SWELLS, MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM THE SHORELINE AND NOT TO
ENGAGE IN WATER SPORTS.

 

IN THE PAST HOUR, THE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS RECORDED AT
WAGLAN ISLAND, GREEN ISLAND AND CHEUNG CHAU BEACH WERE 74,
60 AND 56 KILOMETRES PER HOUR RESPECTIVELY.

 

(PRECAUTIONARY ANNOUNCEMENTS WITH NO. 3 SIGNAL)
 
1. FOR SAFETY REASONS, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT ALL OUTDOOR
ACTIVITIES BE CANCELLED.
 
2. PEOPLE SHOULD AVOID WALKING OR WORKING IN AREAS EXPOSED
TO GALES AND SQUALLS. DRIVERS USING HIGHWAYS AND FLYOVERS
SHOULD BE ALERT TO VIOLENT GUSTS.
 
3. STORM WATER DRAINS SHOULD BE CLEARED OF LEAVES AND
RUBBISH, THIS APPLIES PARTICULARLY TO DWELLERS IN LOW-LYING
AREAS.
 
4. ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS AND CONTRACTORS ARE AGAIN REMINDED
THAT ALL SCAFFOLDINGS, HOARDINGS AND TEMPORARY BUILDINGS
SHOULD BE SECURED.
 
5. SMALL CRAFT OWNERS SHOULD NOW COMPLETE ARRANGEMENTS FOR
THE SAFETY OF THEIR BOATS.
 
6. FISHING VESSELS NOT YET IN TYPHOON SHELTERS SHOULD SEEK
SHELTER WITHOUT DELAY. CHECK AGAIN THAT ALL DECK FITTINGS
ARE FIRMLY FASTENED. IF AVAILABLE, HEAVY ANCHORS SHOULD BE
PREPARED AND USED IN ADDITION TO REGULAR ANCHORS.
 
7. LISTEN TO RADIO, WATCH TV OR BROWSE THE HONG KONG
OBSERVATORY'S WEB SITE FOR INFORMATION ON THE TROPICAL
CYCLONE.

DISPATCHED BY HONG KONG OBSERVATORY AT 16:45 HKT ON 12.06.2017