Macau casinos closed as Typhoon Sara makes landfall
UPDATE: Macau casinos reopened on Saturday after being closed due to the typhoon, news service Reuters reported.
Previous Post: Many venues in Macau are temporarily closed as the region braces for extreme wind and rain from Typhoon Saola between Friday night and Saturday.
Macau is located in the South China Sea, and some areas are prone to flooding and huge waves.
The closure is scheduled to begin at 11 p.m. local time Friday (11 a.m. ET). According to Reuters News, there is currently no specific information on when playgrounds will reopen.
Casinos are an important part of Macau's economy. In July, Macau casino revenue exceeded $2 billion for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The closure of an estimated 36 casinos in the region is just one part of a wide range of precautionary measures to be taken by the government later this week in response to severe weather.
Transportation stalled
Train services and flights in affected areas of China were suspended due to the typhoon. Some trains should resume service on Saturday evening.
GGR Asia further reported that the border crossing between Macau and Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, will be closed until the storm passes. The popular shuttle bus service on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has been suspended, the report added.
Ferry services between Hong Kong and Macau were suspended Thursday evening. Ferry services between Macau's inner harbor and China's Zhuhai Wanchai district were also suspended on Friday, as were those between Macau and China's Shenzhen.
Student classes have been canceled in parts of China and many workers have been told to stay home and not risk going to work. Due to extreme circumstances, trading on Hong Kong Stock Exchange has been suspended.
Recent forecasts indicate that China has issued the highest level of typhoon warning, known as a "red warning", for some affected areas. Local forecasters predicted winds of up to 209 km/h or 129.9 mph. Probably less in Macau.
The typhoon is expected to hit the Chinese coast later on Friday. The match was originally scheduled to be held between Huilai County, Guangdong and Hong Kong.
There will also be storm surges. Low-lying coastal areas are particularly vulnerable to flooding.
Hong Kong and Guangdong province are expected to bear the brunt. Once it moves inland, its intensity is expected to weaken.
Rainfall amounts of 3.9 to 8.7 inches were expected in parts of Fujian and Guangdong provinces early Friday.
Philippines suffers storm damage
The same typhoon hit the Philippines earlier this week, The Guardian reported. In the north of the area, some villages were flooded.
Approximately 50,000 residents are severely affected. Of those, about 35,000 people sought temporary shelter in emergency shelters. Many homes were damaged by wind, rain and flooding.
The ferry had to stop there due to strong waves.
In July, China was hit by Typhoon Doksuri. This caused more than 30,000 residents to flee Beijing. Severe flooding also occurred in some parts of the country.
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Source: www.casino.org
