Hong Kong typhoon alerts and transport fallout

Mid‑July 2026 Hong Kong entered an Amber Rainstorm Warning as heavy rain and gusts up to 80 km/h prompted flood alerts and advice to avoid watercourses. By 25 July the approaching Typhoon Red (Red 霞) saw the Observatory raise signals from 3 to the maximum Signal 8, briefly to Signal 9 before reverting to 8 as gusts topped 110 km/h on Lantau and at Chek Lap Kok. Residents were urged to secure loose objects, stay away from the coastline and suspend water‑based activities; schools, special‑needs centres and public events such as the “A Symphony of Lights” show were cancelled, while the Housing Authority and Drainage Services Department deployed sandbags, barriers and pumps. The typhoon made landfall in Guangdong on 26 July, passing about 80 km north‑east of Hong Kong. Guangdong evacuated over 340 000 people and imposed a “five‑stop” shutdown in twelve cities; the Hong Kong‑Zhuhai‑Macau Bridge was temporarily closed. In Hong Kong, transport networks were severely disrupted: all daytime and overnight bus routes, several outdoor MTR sections and high‑speed rail to the mainland halted; limited service continued on a few MTR lines, the Airport Express added an early‑morning run, and the Hong Kong‑Zhuhai‑Macao Bridge remained closed. The Airport Authority handled roughly 675 flights, cancelling about 350, with airlines such as Cathay Pacific, EVA Air and China Airlines suspending many Hong Kong‑bound services. The government opened 29 temporary shelter centres for 228 people and coordinated emergency work by the Drainage Services, Civil Aid Service and other departments, deploying sandbags and clearing drainage channels. Nine injuries required treatment in public hospitals, but no landslides or flooding were reported. The Education Bureau ordered all day schools to close on 26 July, while night‑school schedules remained pending.