TROPICAL CYCLONES IN 2002

Vongfong was the second tropical cyclone that necessitated the issuance of warning signal this year. Like the previous severe tropical storm Kammuri, Vongfong also formed over the South China Sea.

Vongfong developed as a tropical depression at about 280 km south-southeast of Xisha Dao on 15 August. It moved slowly to the northeast in the first two days and turned to the west-northwest on 17 August. Vongfong intensified into a tropical storm and moved towards north-northwest on 18 August. Under the steering flow of an anticyclone over the East China Sea, Vongfong accelerated towards the west coast of Guangdong on 19 August and intensified into a severe tropical storm with a maximum wind speed of about 90 km/h near its centre that afternoon. Vongfong skirted the northeastern coast of Hainan and then made landfall near Zhangjiang the same night. It weakened rapidly after landfall and dissipated over Guangxi on 20 August.

The heavy rain brought by Vongfong triggered flooding over southwest China. In Guangxi, landslides and collapsed houses claimed at least eight lives and thousands of people were trapped by floods. Communication and power supplies of some districts were also interrupted. The reported direct economic losses in Guangxi were over 300 million RMB. In Hainan, the airport was closed and sea traffic to Guangdong was suspended during the passage of Vongfong.

In Hong Kong, the Standby Signal No. 1 was issued at 10.45 p.m. on 17 August when Vongfong was about 660 km to the south. Local winds were moderate to fresh east to northeasterlies at first. As Vongfong continued to intensify and approached the west coast of Guangdong in the next two days, local winds changed to southeasterlies with strong winds affecting offshore areas and high ground. The outer rainbands of Vongfong also brought scattered squally showers to Hong Kong. Vongfong was closest to Hong Kong on 19 August night when it was about 390 km to the west-southwest. The lowest instantaneous mean sea-level pressure of 1000.9 hPa was recorded at the Hong Kong Observatory at about 4 p.m. on 18 August. As Vongfong moved inland and weakened, the Standby Signal No. 1 was cancelled at 6.30 a.m. on 20 August.

During the passage of Vongfong, a river trade vessel ran aground at about 60 km southwest of Hong Kong. All the crew were rescued by the Government Flying Service. A person in Ngau Tau Kok was injured by a piece of falling awning and another man in Tuen Mun hurt his shoulder when hit by a broken tree branch. Some trees were also blown down in Hong Kong Island and the New Territories.

Information on wind, rainfall and tide during the passage of Vongfong is given in Tables 3.2.1 - 3.2.3. Figures 3.2.1 - 3.2.3 show the track of Vongfong, rainfall distribution in Hong Kong and cloud imagery respectively.

- Top -