Flights diverted to PH as typhoon batters Hong Kong

MANILA, Philippines – Bad weather in China forced 10 cargo and commercial flights to divert to the Philippines on Tuesday, July 24.

Eight cargo planes of the United Parcel Service (UPS) and two commercial flights of Hong Kong Express and Jet Aviation landed at the Clark International Airport in Pampanga, CIA Corp President and CEO Victor Luciano said in a statement.

“Bad weather in China forced the cargo planes of UPS and two commercial aircraft to land at Clark Airport… heavy rains also occurred in Taiwan and Hong Kong,” noted Luciano.

He said navigational facilities in Clark are working round the clock to guide all types of aircraft that need assistance.

“Clark is always ready,” he said, adding that the airport can accommodate up to 40 aircraft.

Meanwhile, 3 international flights between Manila and China have been canceled or delayed, earlier reports said.

Cebu Pacific cancelled its Hong Kong-bound flight that was supposed to leave Manila at 5:40 a.m., as well as the return flight.

A China Airline flight from Xiamen, which was scheduled to arrive Manila at 11:05 a.m., arrived at 1 p.m.

Typhoon Vicente (“Ferdie” in the Philippines) lashed Hong Kong and south China on Tuesday, toppling trees and flooding several areas. More than 100 people were reportedly injured.

Authorities in Hong Kong raised the typhoon warning to the most severe level of 10, and later downgraded it to 8 as the storm weakened over the southern Chinese coast.

The typhoon battered the Philippines over the weekend, leaving at least 2 dead and several others missing in floods. – Rappler.com