Typhoon Nangka the first test to new civil protection legislation – Gov’t

Macau authorities cancelled a storm surge alert, but the government stressed that the passage of Typhoon Nangka today (Tuesday) is the first test to the new civil protection legal framework.

The blue ‘Storm Surge’ warning has been canceled, but Typhoon Signal 8, the third highest on the alert scale, remains, with interim Chief Executive André Cheong moving to Civil Protection Operations Center as the SAR entered a state of immediate prevention.

Cited in a statement, André Cheong recalled that, “after the new Civil Protection Legal Law came into force, this is the first mobilization of the structure”, so “the reaction to the typhoon’s passing will serve as a true test of the integral functioning of the entire structure of Civil Protection, and will provide an opportunity to concentrate and accumulate experiences, so that, in the future, better preparation and reaction to typhoons and other severe challenges will be achieved “.

The authorities reported three small, non-serious incidents since signal 8 was issued at 07:30 (00:30 in Lisbon), and 14 people were received in the four open emergency reception centers.

Teaching activities in schools have been suspended, as has public transport. Twenty underground car parks have been closed and the six casino operators in the gaming capital of the world have made more than three thousand spaces available for residents to leave their vehicles safe.

Typhoon Nangka is moving away from Macau, being about 450 kilometers away, but with the confluence of a northeast monsoon the impact on the territory is still expected.

The Health Bureau opened in a special way the health centers of Tap Seac, Fai Chi Kei, Areia Preta, Ilha Verde, St. Lazarus, Ocean Gardens, Nossa Senhora do Carmo-Lago, the Coloane Health Center and the Post Office. Provisional Health of Seac Pai Van, to provide emergency services only.

The services of the Inner Harbour Health Center, the Medical Examination Center for Public Officials and the Tuberculosis Prevention and Treatment Center were suspended.

Circulation on the three bridges connecting the Macau peninsula to the islands and the Flor de Lótus bridge was interrupted and the lower deck of the Sai Van Bridge was opened.

SMGs continue to indicate that the possibility of raising the tropical storm alert level to 9 is low.

The tropical storm alert scale consists of signals 1, 3, 8, 9 and 10, which are issued taking into account the proximity of the storm and the intensity of the winds.

For this year, Macau authorities said they expected four to six tropical storms in the territory, some of which could even “reach the level of severe typhoon or super typhoon”.

Since 2017, two typhoons have forced authorities to issue a high alert. In September 2018, the passage of typhoon Mangkhut through Macau left direct and indirect economic losses amounting to MOP1.74 billion.

Mangkhut caused 40 injuries and severe flooding in the territory, where the maximum signal of tropical storm was hoisted several hours.

In total, the authorities removed 5,650 citizens from the lowlands and 1,346 people went to emergency shelter centers.

A year earlier, Typhoon Hato (later named Yamaneko by local authorities), despite being characterized by the same intensity as Mangkhut, caused 10 deaths, 240 injuries and damage estimated at MOP12.55 billion.