“Fabian” Treads Water; “Dujuan” Misses Hong Kong

Hurricane Fabian is still a class 4 storm, even though its maximum sustained winds have lessened somewhat to 135 mph (215 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center. In Southeast Asia another powerful storm, typhoon Dujuan, narrowly missed passing directly over Hong Kong, and has weakened as it moves into Southern China.

Fabian is currently located about 225 miles (365 kms) north-northeast of St. Martin, and poses no immediate threat to land. Nevertheless the NHC warned that “large swells and dangerous surf conditions will be affecting the Northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico over the next day or so.” It added that “all interests in and around Bermuda should closely monitor the progress of Fabian.” The storm continues to move in a northwesterly direction at around 9-mph (15 kph).

Local authorities in Hong Kong meanwhile breathed a sigh of relief as Dujuan passed very close to the enclave. According to the BBC, the storm, which hit parts of Southern Taiwan over the weekend knocking out power lines and killing two people, was the most powerful storm to threaten Hong Kong in four years.

As the center of Dujuan passed within 20 miles (30 kms) of Hong Kong it downed trees and caused landslides. 22 people were reported to have suffered minor injuries, but the storm did no serious damage. It has been downgraded from a typhoon to a tropical storm, as it continues to move over China’s Guangdong province, which is expected to experience heavy rains and flooding.