CO129-564-6 Typhoon- reports of damage- etc 9-9-1937 - 6-11-1937 — Page 10

THE TYPHOON:

COMMUNICATIONS:

A Report on the Typhoon of September 1st-2nd, 1937.

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On September 1st, 1937, at 12.35 a.m. the No.1

typhoon signal was hoisted ("A depression or typhoon

exists which may affect the locality".)

at 3.20 p.m. by the No.5 signal

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This was followed

("Gale expected from

the N.W.") and at 1.58 a.m. on September 2nd the No.10

-

-

signal was hoisted ("Wind of typhoon force expected:

any direction".) and the warning maroons were fired.

2. The centre of the typhoon passed about ten

miles to the S.S.. of the Royal Observatory at 3.40 a.m. on

a V.N.W. track. By 6 a.m. the wind had veered to S.E. by

S. At 6.20 a.m. No.8 signal -("Gale expected from S.E.")

was hoisted, and finally lowered at 10.40 a.m. The

typhoon had by this time entered the coast and filled up

to the N.V. of Macau.

3. From 8 p.m. on September 1st to 3.40 a.m. on

September 2nd the barometric pressure fell 1.33 inches; the

minimum reading during the passage of the typhoon being

28.298 at 3.40 a.m. At the Royal Observatory several

wind gusts in excess of 125 m.p.h. were recorded between

3.15 and 4.00 a.m. on September 2nd. A reading of 125

m.p.h. was the limit of the instrument. But at the Hong

Kong Electric Company's Generating Station a gust of 167

m.p.h. was recorded at 3.30 a.m. on an instrument which

the Director, Royal Observatory, regards as accurate.

2.15 inches of rain fell between 4.a.m. and 5 a.m., and

5.5 inches between 10 p.m. September 1st and 10 ɛ.m. September 2nd. Details of the hourly barometric pressure, wind direction and velocity, and rainfall are appended.

4.

All communications, with the exception of wireless

and certain telephone services, ceased during the actual

passage of the typhoon over the Colony. By 1.30 a.m. on

September 2nd ferries across the harbour, trains, buses,

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