Typhoon Fengshen (0806)
18 - 26 June 2008

Fengshen was the second tropical cyclone that necessitated the issuance of tropical cyclone warning signals in Hong Kong in 2008.   It also necessitated the issuance of the first No. 8 Gale or Storm Signal in the year.

Fengshen formed as a tropical depression over the western North Pacific about 1 440 km east-southeast of Manila on the evening of 18 June and moved west-northwestwards.  It intensified first into a tropical storm and then a severe tropical storm the next day.  After intensifying into a typhoon on 20 June,   Fengshen started to cross the central Philippines that afternoon and turned to a generally northwesterly track the next day, crossing the southwestern part of Luzon on 22 June.   In the fury of Fengshen, at least 229 people were killed in the Philippines, 143 houses collapsed or were damaged.  A passenger ship capsized off the coast of Sibuyan Island in the central Philippines and around 800 passengers and crewmen on board were missing. 

Fengshen entered the South China Sea on the evening of 22 June and weakened into a severe tropical storm in the following afternoon.  It turned to move north-northwestwards on 24 June towards the south China coast near Hong Kong.  On the early morning of 25 June, Fengshen took a northerly track for a short period and made landfall at Kuichong, Shenzhen after skirting the east of Hong Kong.  Fengshen weakened into a tropical storm that morning and further into a tropical depression that night.  It finally weakened into an area of low pressure in Guangdong on the early morning of 26 June. Fengshen brought flooding and landslides to Guangdong, while rainstorms associated with the remnant of Fengshen affected Guangdong for the following few days.  According to press reports, in Guangdong, up to 17 people were killed and another seven missing.  More than 13 000 houses collapsed. The direct economic loss was around 1.2 billion yuan.

In Hong Kong, the Standby Signal No. 1 was issued at 7.40 a.m. on 23 June when Fengshen was about 690 km south-southeast of Hong Kong.  As Fengshen moved closer to Hong Kong, the Strong Wind Signal No. 3 was issued at 4.40 p.m. on 24 June when Fengshen was about 190 km south-southeast of Hong Kong.  Local winds freshened during the afternoon and became generally strong offshore and on high grounds that evening. The winds continued to strengthen that night and the No. 8 NE Gale or Storm Signal was issued at 10.45 p.m.  This was followed by the No. 8 NW Gale or Storm Signal at 12.45 a.m. on 25 June.  As Fengshen passed to the east of Hong Kong, local winds turned to the southwest and the No. 8 SW Gale or Storm Signal was issued at 5.45 a.m.  Local winds were generally strong and occasionally up to gale force on the morning of 25 June. With the winds subsiding during the morning, the No. 8 SW Gale or Storm Signal was replaced by the No. 3 Strong Wind Signal at 11.15 a.m.  Local winds remained generally strong offshore and on high grounds during the afternoon and evening.  All signals were cancelled at 10.15 p.m. as Fengshen weakened overland and winds subsided further. 

During the passage of Fengshen, the lowest instantaneous mean sea-level pressures recorded at some selected stations were as follows :-

Fengshen was closest to the Hong Kong Observatory at about 4 a.m. on 25 June when it was about 25 km to its east.

The weather was fine and hot on 23 June. It became cloudy on 24 June with a few showers that evening.  Heavy rain and a few squally thunderstorms affected Hong Kong on the morning of 25 June and rainy conditions persisted for the rest of the day.  The Amber and the Red Rainstorm Warning were issued at 5.15 a.m. and 6.00 a.m. on 25 June respectively while the Special Announcement on Flooding in the northern New Territories and the Landslip Warning were issued at 6.35 a.m. and 8.10 a.m. that day respectively.  The remnant of Fengshen continued to bring heavy rain to Hong Kong on 26 June.

In Hong Kong, 17 people were injured during the passage of Fengshen.  There were 38 reports of flooding and 41 reports of fallen trees in various districts, 12 reports of landslides at Repulse Bay, Tuen Mun and Lantau and five reports of collapsed scaffoldings at Sheung Wan, Central, Tai Koo Shing and Kowloon Bay.  A glass panel was blown off the outer wall of a shopping mall in Tsuen Wan, injuring three passers-by.  Flood waters washed into the house of an elderly couple in Yuen Long but there were no casualties.  At the Hong Kong International Airport, 135 inbound and 182 outbound flights were delayed, 26 flights were cancelled and one flight had to be diverted.