Heng Fa Chuen residents gear up and brace for Super Typhoon Ragasa

As Super Typhoon Ragasa intensifies, Heng Fa Chuen residents, including a 20-year veteran who taped her windows for the first time, prepare diligently for the storm’s potential impact.

As Super Typhoon Ragasa sweeps toward Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Observatory hoisted the No. 8 Gale or Storm Signal at 2.20 pm today. 

Reporters visited Heng Fa Chuen, a flood-prone area near the coast, shortly after the signal was raised, observing a community bracing for the storm.

While the wind strength was not yet overwhelming, large waves frequently crashed against the shoreline boulders, with spray reaching the shore, drawing a mix of local residents and thrill-seeking “storm chasers” to watch. 

One neighborhood resident described the afternoon waves as modest, typical of the area’s usual stormy conditions.

Among the onlookers surnamed Chow, a Heng Fa Chuen resident of over 20 years who often descends to view the sea during typhoons. 

She remarked that the scene felt surprisingly calm, almost indistinguishable from a typical day without a storm, though she anticipated stronger conditions might develop later. 

Reflecting on past experiences, she recalled the 2017 Super Typhoon Hato as her most vivid memory, when flooding turned the area into what resembled a pond where boats could navigate. 

With the observatory suggesting Ragasa’s power might rival Hato’s, Chow has taken unprecedented steps, taping her windows with adhesive paper for the first time in her two-decade residency as a precautionary measure.

Along the Heng Fa Chuen coastline, flood barriers have been erected, and orange tape marks off low-lying areas to deter close approaches.

After a sea incident around 3pm, the marine police began patrolling the waters offshore. 

Meanwhile, storm chasers like Chi, a Chai Wan resident who arrived around 2pm, found the waves less impressive than expected, noting the absence of strong winds or rain despite the No. 8 signal. 

He observed the highest waves reaching lamp post tops, a moment he considered more typical, but planned a short visit, wary of transportation issues.

Similarly, a regular storm enthusiast surnamed Chan from Kennedy Town visited with his partner, recalling his habit of experiencing No. 8 winds early after the signal, though he left after an hour, noting the current conditions felt safer compared to the larger waves seen online earlier.