South China's Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions (SARs) have taken a variety of precautions for Super Typhoon Yagi, which is expected to make landfall on Friday afternoon or evening.
The Hong Kong Observatory issued the No. 8 Northeast Gale or Storm Signal on Thursday evening.
The No. 8 signal is the third-highest warning under Hong Kong's weather system, which has five rankings for typhoons.
Under the effect of Yagi, the 11th typhoon and the second-most powerful storm on the planet this year, all ferries, buses and taxis have been suspended across Hong Kong, and subways are providing limited services.
To ensure students' safety, the Education Bureau of the HKSAR government has announced that the classes of all-day schools will remain suspended on Friday.
The HKSAR government has warned residents of landslide risks and other possible natural disasters caused by heavy rains, especially those living in mountainous areas. It has also asked residents to stay away from the sea, where there will be gales and high waves.
The main bridge of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has been temporarily closed until further notice.
The region's Home Affairs Department said 29 makeshift shelters have been in place since Thursday afternoon for residents in need.
Macao has also issued the No. 8 signal, as winds continue to strengthen amid a thunderstorm brought by Yagi.
To ensure residents' safety, the Civil Protection Operations Center has announced that the SAR has entered a state of immediate prevention, with four safe havens open to the public.
Customs services at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge port, as well as buses toward Hong Kong, have been suspended.
The three cross-sea bridges and the Lotus Bridge in Macao have been closed on Thursday night, and several ferries have been suspended on Thursday and Friday.
More than 100 flights have been canceled.
In addition, all preschool, primary, middle and special education classes will be suspended Friday.
China's HK, Macao brace for Typhoon Yagi
Savory mooncakes are becoming a new trend for celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival within Singapore's Chinese community this year, prompting local bakeries and restaurants to experiment with innovative fillings such as meat, crayfish, salted egg yolk, and more.
As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, the Ngee Ann City complex is hosting a mooncake fair, attracting local and international bakeries and restaurants to offer a variety of options for residents.
While traditional flavors like lotus seed paste and crushed nuts remain popular, savory mooncakes -- particularly those with meat fillings -- have emerged as the hit this year.
"We started with Shanghai savory meat mooncakes and later experimented with crayfish, salted egg yolk, and our special recipe, crab meat mince mooncakes. We did not expect that, after launching them on the market, Singaporean customers would go from initially being surprised and shocked to fully accepting them. Now, they even place orders with us in advance," said Wang Yanqing, who initiated the creation of the new type of mooncake at a local restaurant..
The restaurant reports that more than 70,000 mooncakes were sold in just one month. The savory mooncakes have received many compliments and have quickly become a new local favorite.
"This is the first time I’ve tried a meat mooncake. Let me put it that way: it’s savory. It is a brand-new type of mooncake for us. It tastes very special, very innovative," said Fang Xiaolin, a Singaporean customer.
"Actually, it was the first time trying the savory mooncakes. I think it's so innovative and interesting because it's just very different from the usual mooncakes that we have in the market, so it tastes really savory and fresh, and I think a lot of Singaporeans will like it," said Fu Lina, another Singaporean customer.
In addition to enjoying a variety of mooncakes, Singaporean Chinese celebrate the festival with lantern shows, similar to traditional Chinese customs. The annual Mid-Autumn lantern show lights up Niu Che Shui Chinatown every night, attracting both locals and visitors.
The Mid-Autumn Festival has long been a cultural cornerstone for Chinese communities around the world.
Savory mooncakes gain popularity as Singapore celebrates Mid-Autumn Festival
