While citizens in Hong Kong and Macau are still cleaning up the debris left by typhoon Hato, the Hong Kong Observatory has warned that another big storm may be approaching.
The weather bureau said at noon on Friday that tropical storm Pakhar was about 290 kilometers east-northeast of Manila.
It forecast that Pakhar will cross Luzon, the main island in the Philippines, before moving into the northern part of the South China Sea and intensifying gradually on Saturday – bringing squally showers and thunderstorms when it moves closer to the south China coast.
The Observatory’s website has a potential track of where the storm will go. That suggests Pakhar will be closest to Hong Kong on Sunday and Monday.
Meanwhile, the Macau government has sought assistance from People’s Liberation Army troops to help with relief work after Hato swept through the city, causing nine deaths and injuring about 200 people, Apple Daily reported.
On Friday morning, about 1,000 PLA soldiers were deployed to clean up the streets, which were covered with rubbish and debris.
The Macau government said Beijing approved its request for troops to assist and speed up the relief work.
Macau returned to China in 1999 and this is the first time the garrison have been deployed for work in the former Portuguese enclave.