Deadly storms such as Typhoon Hato are a warning to Hong Kong to prepare for the worst
Bernard Chan says Hong Kong should not belittle Macau for its lack of preparation for Typhoon Hato, but see its struggles as a cautionary tale and reason to maintain vigilance
Fortunately, no deaths were reported here. Despite loss of business and some property damage, most of us managed to stay safe indoors, and life got back to normal the next day.
This was not the case for our neighbours in Macau. My company is a major general insurance provider in Macau. I visited the city several days after the typhoon had passed through to get an idea of the damage.
By the time I arrived, the waters were no longer waist-high, and a serious clean-up operation was under way. But the amount of damage was obvious – and far worse than anything we experienced in Hong Kong.
Casinos and hotels experienced significant disruptions in operations and visitor arrivals. But it was the smaller businesses and households that really suffered from basic losses and damage.
