The Chief Executive, Mr Chui Sai On, today directed Macao’s civil protection management team to maximise its response effort to any adverse affects that might be wrought by Typhoon Wipha.

The Civil Protection Operations Centre was fully activated prior to Typhoon Signal No. 8 being issued at 2pm today. Mr Chui chaired a meeting – held at the time Typhoon Signal No.8 came into effect – at the Civil Protection Operations Centre to review the response mechanism for the first typhoon leading to such signal to be issued this year.

The Government was committed to deploying the utmost effort to keep safe the public and their property, Mr Chui stressed in the meeting.

The Chief Executive also asked all members of the public to assist the Government in its effort to prevent typhoon-related disruption to the community. He added members of the public should pay attention only to information issued by the Civil Protection Operations Centre and follow instructions given by the Centre.

Noting that the approach of Typhoon Wipha had occasioned the first Typhoon Signal No. 8 to be hoisted this year, Mr Chui asked the civil protection management team to pay close attention to developments relating to the typhoon. This was in order to enable the introduction – in a timely manner – of measures to minimise disruption to the community.

He also asked for extra effort to maintain a stable supply of, respectively, water, electricity and telecommunication services.

The Chief Executive noted that those involved in the civil protection system had taken part in a meeting earlier this month to review preparations regarding the 2019 typhoon season. Such preparations were integrated with the overall planning for disaster prevention – and where necessary mitigation – developed in the past two years.

He added the civil protection management team had been maintaining a close watch on Typhoon Wipha over the past few days, in preparation for the approaching storm.