T1 Standby Signal In Force As Ma-on Moves Towards HK

The Observatory says the Standby Signal No 1 remains in force as Severe Tropical Storm Ma-on moves across the South China Sea towards the coast of Guangdong, gradually intensifying.

.At 4 am on Wednesday, Ma-on was about 600 kilometres southeast of Hong Kong. The No 1 signal was issued at 9.10 pm on Tuesday.

Earlier, the Observatory had said, on its present track, the storm would remain more than 500 kilometres from Hong Kong into Wednesday morning and local winds would not strengthen significantly.

Ma-on passed over northern Luzon, in the Philippines, on Tuesday afternoon and entered the South China Sea still packing sustained winds of 90 kilometres an hour. At 4 am, the Observatory said the maximum sustained wind near the storm's centre was 105 kilometres and hour.

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