My Hong Kong | Terrified of a typhoon? Not the people of Hong Kong – it’s a time to relax and have some fun
- People in Hong Kong look forward to big storms sweeping the city – they can mean extra days off to play mahjong, dine with friends or go shopping in malls
- The city’s ‘typhoon culture’ extends to Hong Kong folks’ sense of humour, with memes circulating that make light of the storm and poke fun at city bigwigs
This month, two typhoons big and close enough to Hong Kong for city authorities to raise the No 8 typhoon signal – No 10 is the highest – were expected to strike.
As they approached the city, many took to supermarkets to stock up their fridges and pantries. But these preparations were not done out of fear, but rather out of anticipation, as typhoons are something of a welcomed event in the city.
Nowhere in the world will you find a group of people so eager to see a big storm hitting their city, and with a level of excitement comparable to a child awaiting Christmas Day.
Hongkongers have for a long time believed the city is “blessed” because it is often spared the high casualties or serious damage often caused by natural hazards such as typhoons, torrential rain, landslides, etc.
Because the Hong Kong Observatory can forecast pretty much the exact time a typhoon is due to arrive, it can give accurate advance warnings to the city. This gives residents ample time to make necessary arrangements before battening down the hatches. This means getting home from work at the right time, stocking up on food and water, or choosing who they wish to ride out the storm with.
