Typhoon Wipha Slams Hong Kong, Triggers Highest Level 10 Storm Warning
[Hong Kong, July 20, 2025] — As powerful Typhoon Wipha struck Hong Kong, authorities issued the city's highest tropical cyclone warning signal — T10. All schools and colleges have been closed, while hundreds of flights and other transport services have been canceled.
According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Japan’s Himawari satellite data, by 1:00 PM local time Sunday (05:00 GMT), Typhoon Wipha was located approximately 60 kilometers southwest of Hong Kong and was moving westward toward the southern coast of China.
The Hong Kong Observatory stated, “Winds exceeding 118 km/h are battering the region, posing a ‘serious threat’ to Hong Kong.” The agency warned that “destructive winds” from the typhoon’s eyewall are affecting the southern parts of the city and urged residents to stay on high alert.
The Hong Kong Airport Authority confirmed that nearly 500 flights were canceled on Sunday, and over 400 more were expected to be delayed or rescheduled later in the day. Reuters reported massive waves along the eastern coast of Hong Kong Island.
Neighboring regions in China, including Hainan and Guangdong provinces, have also issued high-level alerts. The cities of Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Macau canceled or delayed all flights on Sunday, according to China’s state news agency Xinhua.
More than 200 people have taken shelter in Hong Kong’s public emergency shelters. At least one person has received hospital treatment, and reports indicate that more than 20 trees have been uprooted across the city. All schools and daycare centers have suspended classes, and train services have been reduced.
Notably, the last time Hong Kong issued a T10 warning was during Super Typhoon Saola in 2023.
Typhoon Wipha — whose name means “glory” or “radiance” in Thai — passed over the Philippines as a tropical storm, bringing heavy rain to parts of Taiwan as well.
The typhoon also had a significant impact in the Philippines. The country’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that two people are missing and over 370,000 have been affected. Among them, more than 43,000 were forced to seek refuge in evacuation centers or with relatives due to flooding, landslides, and strong winds.
More than 400 homes were reported damaged, according to Philippine authorities.
