As the remnants of Typhoon Danas descend upon southern China and Hong Kong, officials have raised alarms over the potential for flash flooding triggered by intense rainfall. The storm initially impacted Taiwan on Monday, where tragically, two fatalities were reported, and over 600,000 households faced power outages. After crossing the Taiwan Strait, Danas made a landfall in China and has since been downgraded to a tropical depression. However, the storm continues to produce relentless rainfall, yielding as much as 17.2 inches in some areas by early Thursday.
The forecast indicates a worrying continuation of this rainy trend, with predictions of up to three inches of rain per hour until Friday, particularly affecting Guangdong province, home to approximately 127 million individuals. The region's meteorological center has cautioned residents about the risk of flash floods and landslides. Additionally, winds could reach up to 73 miles per hour, nearing the intensity of a Category 1 hurricane.
Hong Kong is also experiencing the storm's effects, with the remnants combining with monsoon rains from the south, generating forecasts of thunderstorms and torrential downpours. Responding to these threats, local authorities have decided to suspend school activities for Friday and have issued a red rain warning, the second highest level of alert, which indicates rainfall exceeding 1.9 inches per hour.
The meteorological agency noted strong gusts of up to 43 miles per hour impacting Sha Chau Island near Hong Kong's airport earlier this week and urged residents to take shelter indoors due to the impending violent weather. Thunderstorms and heavy rain are expected to persist until Friday, raising anxiety among the populace as they prepare for the storm-related hazards.
