The local authorities announced yesterday transport arrangements for Super Typhoon “Ragasa” concerning flights, ferries and public transport (buses and LRT), as Macau braces itself for the storm’s potential catastrophic impact on the city.
The local airport has put up a special notice on its website announcing that there will be a “significant reduction in flights” starting at 4 p.m. today, highlighting that the most substantial impact is expected tomorrow. Public broadcaster TDM reported that the airport expects 250 to 280 flights to be cancelled between today and tomorrow.
In terms of ferry services, the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) said in its statement that the ferry service from Macau’s Inner Harbour to Zhuhai’s Wanzai district has already suspended operations, with the last sailing having taken place last night. Ferry services between Macau and Hong Kong will be cancelled today.
Customarily, Macau’s ferry services are suspended in the runup to the hoisting of Tropical Cyclone Signal No.8 (T8).
The DSAMA statement added that ferry services between Macau, Shekou and Fuyong (both in Shenzhen) will remain suspended until further notice.
Meanwhile, the “Emergency Rescue Command Office of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge” (港珠澳大桥应急救援指挥部办公室) announced in its statement that after consultations between Macau, Guangdong and Hong Kong, the vehicular checkpoints of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HKZMB) will suspend border crossing services from 3 p.m. today while the delta bridge will also be closed.
Public bus services in Macau will be suspended once Typhoon Signal No.8 is hoisted. The Macau Bridge linking the peninsula’s Zone A and Taipa will also be closed during this period. Limited taxi services will continue also under T8 or higher typhoon warning signals (T9 and T10) “in line with the real situation,” the Transport Bureau (DSAT) said in a statement. Further details on the suspension arrangements and resumption, including the Light Rapid Transit (LRT) service, can be found by visiting the DSAT dedicated page on https://www.dsat.gov.mo/dsat/events_detail.aspx?a_id=56755F1FB286B04F2C60033ABC974E9F
As usual during T8, the three other Macau-Taipa bridges (Friendship, Governador Nobre de Carvalho and Sai Van) will also be closed, except for the enclosed deck of Sai Van Bridge
Typhoon Signal No.8 is expected to be hoisted between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. today, according to the Macau Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) website, which pointed out that there was a “high” possibility of it being issued.
A departure screen at the local airport shows a number of cancelled and rescheduled flights due to approaching Super Typhoon “Ragasa” last night. – Photo: Maria Cheang Ut Meng
