Typhoon Victor (9712) 31 July - 3 August 1997 Victor formed as a tropical depression over the South China Sea about 590 km south of Hong Kong on 31 July. Drifting slowly, it deepened into a tropical storm early the next morning and became a severe tropical storm in the evening. Picking up speed towards the north, Victor intensified further into a typhoon on the morning of 2 August but weakened into a severe tropical storm just before reaching the south China coast. After making landfall over Hong Kong, Victor moved into Guangdong where it dissipated overland on 3 August. Victor took a heavy toll on Guangdong and Fujian, a total of 76 killing people and injuring more than 1 000. Over 85 000 houses were destroyed or damaged, the economic loss was put at US$586.4 million. In Macau apart from uprooted trees and collapsed scaffoldings, there was also flooding in low-lying areas. No injuries were reported. In Hong Kong, the Standby Signal No. 1 was hoisted at 2.00 p.m. on 31 July. Victor's outer circulation began to affect the coastal region the following day. Local winds started to strengthen from the east and there were squally showers, the Strong Wind Signal No.3 was hoisted at 10.00 a.m. Victor attained typhoon intensity on the morning of 2 August with an eye becoming discernible on satellite pictures. The No.8 NORTHEAST Gale or Storm Signal was hoisted at noon. There were persistent gales offshore and seas also became very rough that afternoon. With Victor continuing to approach the south China coast, the Increasing Gale or Storm Signal No.9 was hoisted at 4.50 p.m. This was the first time since 1983 that the No.9 signal was hoisted. Victor's center passed only about 10 km to the west of the Hong Kong Observatory and weakened into a severe tropical storm at about 8 p.m. Its center then crossed the Tsing Ma Bridge and landed near Sham Tseng. Winds over Hong Kong became cyclonic. Winds turned to southwesterly as Victor moved to the north after making landfall. With Victor moving further away, the No.9 signal was replaced by the No.8 SOUTHWEST Gale or Storm Signal at 11.40 p.m. The No.8 signal was subsequently replaced by the Strong Wind Signal No.3 at 3.30 a.m. on 3 August as Victor weakened and local gales subsided. All tropical cyclone signals were lowered at 4.45 a.m. During the hoisting of signals, maximum gusts of over 135 km/h were recorded at Waglan Island and Cheung Chau, while those at King's Park and Star Ferry were 104 km/h and 115 km/h respectively. At 7.28 p.m. on 2 August, the Hong Kong Observatory also recorded the lowest instantaneous sea-level pressure of 973.0 hPa. During Victor's passage, a man drowned in high seas near Stanley as he tried to rescue two people swept away by high waves. At least 3 cases of landslides, 20 cases of flooding, 7 cases of collapsed scaffoldings, 10 cases of fallen objects and 110 cases of toppled trees were reported in Hong Kong. Altogether about 58 people were injured in various storm-related accidents. The stormy weather also disrupted traffic, and it was for the first time that both the upper and lower decks of the Tsing Ma Bridge, opened earlier in the year, had to be closed in a tropical cyclone situation. Victor's outer rainbands continued to bring heavy downpours to Hong Kong on 3 August. About 14 cases of landslides and 40 cases of flooding were reported. Flooding was most serious in the northern New Territories with floodwater as deep as one meter in Tai Kong Po village near Kam Tin. There was also a serious landslide near Ching Cheung Road, rendering the road impassable for a few weeks.
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