The scene after a tree fell on a bus on The Peak on Monday evening. Photo: Facebook
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https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3196192/typhoon-warning-signal-no-3-force-nesat-nears Health & Environment
7 passengers injured after bus hit by falling tree as Hong Kong feels effects of Typhoon Nesat
- Passengers sent to hospital with cuts from broken glass and other injuries after tree falls on bus travelling on The Peak
- Observatory downgrades Nesat to strong monsoon status at 3.40pm on Tuesday
The bus was hit by a falling tree on The Peak as the city felt the effects of Typhoon Nesat. Photo: Facebook
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Seven passengers were injured when a tree fell on a bus travelling on The Peak as Hong Kong felt the effects of Typhoon Nesat on Monday.
The No 3 typhoon signal for the storm remained in force for around 28 hours, with the Observatory downgrading it to strong monsoon status at 3.40pm on Tuesday.
“In the past few hours, Nesat continued to move away from the coast of Guangdong. However, local winds remain generally strong,” said Lee Shuk-ming, a senior scientific officer with the city’s weather forecaster.
“With Nesat departing further, Hong Kong will mainly be dominated by the northeast monsoon,” he said, adding that residents were advised to stay away from the shoreline and refrain from engaging in any water sports.
The easing of the storm came after the accident on Monday evening left seven passengers suffering cuts caused by broken glass, as well as other injuries. The group was sent to Queen Mary Hospital.
The double decker, a No 15 service operated by New World First Bus, was travelling downhill to Central along Peak Road when a tree measuring three metres (10 feet) high fell on it near The Peak police station at around 7.40pm.
The front of the bus suffered severe damage and the windscreen was smashed.
A No 3 typhoon signal had been in force for about eight hours when the accident happened.
Both lanes of Peak Road were blocked as emergency personnel cleared away the debris.
The No 3 warning signal was issued at 11.30am on Monday, with Nesat coming closest to Hong Kong at about 5pm on the same day, some 400km to the southeast of the city.
The typhoon’s outer rainbands began to bring showers to the city on Monday afternoon.
The rainy conditions and the influence of the strengthening monsoon over southern China meant temperatures were expected to drop to about 19 degrees in urban areas on Tuesday morning, Observatory acting senior scientific officer David Lam Hok-yin said. The reading will be the lowest since autumn started.
It will be cloudy with more showers on Tuesday.
The Education Bureau announced earlier on Monday that kindergarten classes and schools for children with physical and intellectual disabilities were suspended.
Seven crew members were also rescued by the Government Flying Service from a cargo vessel in trouble in rough seas outside Hong Kong waters and close to the eye of Nesat.
The service used two helicopters to rescue the crew of the ship, which was taking on water, on Monday morning.
The flying service sent a fixed-wing aircraft and the helicopters to the ship, which was about 260km southeast of Hong Kong, after it was notified by the Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre at 10.10am.
“The ship’s master declared ‘abandon ship’ as it was taking on water and started sinking in raging sea states,” the service said.
The Indonesian and Taiwanese crew members were plucked to safety from the 54-metre ship at lunchtime and taken to the flying service’s headquarters at Hong Kong International Airport.