Typhoon Milktea? Cyclone Dim-sum? Hongkongers show their love of all things local with name picks for intense storms
- Milktea garners 15,750 votes followed by Tsing-ma, name of suspended bridge connecting Tsing Yi and Ma Wan, and Fo-lung, or fire dragon
- Observatory hails ‘impressive’ response of 20,000 votes in poll for public to pick their favourite names with Hong Kong characteristics
Could Asia handle the wrath of Typhoon Milktea?
The sweet drink found on nearly every street in Hong Kong has stormed to the top of a list of typhoon names chosen by residents for the city’s forecaster to keep in reserve.
The Hong Kong Observatory on Wednesday revealed the top 20 names for typhoons as decided by 20,000 votes that considered a shortlist of 40.
Milktea garnered 15,750 votes, followed by Tsing-ma – the name of the suspended bridge connecting Tsing Yi and Ma Wan, with 15,127 votes. No 3 was Fo-lung, or fire dragon, a nod to the traditional celebration held to mark the Mid-Autumn Festival with 14,810 votes.
Other winning names included Dim-sum, Red-bean and kung fu screen legend Bruce Lee’s Chinese name Siu-long.
The city’s Treefrog and signature white jade orchid tree, known as Bak-lan, also won Hongkongers’ hearts.
