CO129-564-6 Typhoon- reports of damage- etc 9-9-1937 - 6-11-1937 — Page 38

Enclosure 1.

xtracted from the

South China Morning Post.

dated 2nd, Sept. 1937.

Earlier Reports

Earlier reports of the typhoon

TYPHOON BLAST showed that at on Monday it was east

STRIKES COLONY IN

EARLY HOURS

LAST SIGNAL POSTED

AT 2 A.M.

TRAVELLED FAST

Though it appeared at first that the typhoon would miss Hong- kong by a comfortable margin, gradual changes in its direction yesterday evening and night made it strike the Colony about 2 a.m. At midnight the typhoon was less than 100 miles E.S.E. of Hongkong and moving very rapidly at about 35 miles per hour W.N.W.

The No. 5 signal was hoisted at 3.20 p.m., indicating a wind of gale force was expected, and at 6 p.m. the Royal Observatory reported that the typhoon had passed immediately north of Pratas Shoal on a W.N.W. track and threatened the coast about Hongkong.

The maroons marking the hoisting of the No. 10 signal, were heard at 1.58 a.m. to-day. Torrential rain was falling at that hour with terrific winds.

At 9 p.m. Mr. C. W. Jeffries, Director of the Observatory, said that the typhoon was approximately 150 miles from here and still moving in the general direction of Hongkong at the comparatively slow rate of 10 miles per hour.

A wind of gale force, at least, was expected during the early hours of the morning. The later increase of the speed of the typhoon centre and the steady progress in the same direction made it almost unavoidable that Hongkong should feel the full force of the typhoon.

The No. 5 signal was still up at 9 p.m. and at that hour Mr. Jeffries expressed the hope that it would not have to be changed. Even if the typhoon entered the coast within 50 i miles of Hongkong the Colony would experience a gale, however, despite the smallness of the area being effected by the typhoon.

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of the Balintang Channel and ap- parently moving towards Hongkong. At 10 a.m. yesterday it was situated about 100 miles east-by-south of; Pratas Shoal and moving slowly W. N.W. This change in direction in- dicated that the typhoon would pass well south of the Colony. Later, changes in the however, further

that the direction made it likely typhoon would enter the coast either at Hongkong or slightly north of here. All the necessary precautions were taken last night to meet any emergencies. Soon after the hoisting of the No. 5 signal most ships were either safely moored at buoys or had moved down to Kowloon Bay. There was an unusually large number of large liners at the Kowloon wharves and it made an impressive sight when at 6 p.m. they all moved from the wharves within a few minutes of one another and made for their respec- tive anchorages. The large number of ships in port made the allocation of buoys a problem but by nightfall to all ships were

safely moored either buoys or their anchor chains Kowloon with plenty of sea room. Bay and the main harbour presented a crowded scene, however, with well over 100 sea-going ships present.

Junks in Shelters

All junks were safe in their shelters before nightfall and shops and build- ings along the prayas battened their windows during the evening to avoid accidents. By 11 p.m. most of the Police launches were tied up and the others making for shelter.

By mid-night the wind had risen considerably and was almost of gale force. All the advertisements on the Star Ferry wharves on both sides of the harbour were taken down for safe keeping while most householders by that time had found windows had to be closed and pot plants taken from ledges.

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