Typhoon Mary (1960)

Typhoon Mary was considered the worst storm to hit Hong Kong in 23 years.[7] The typhoon arrived at the colony on June 8, dropping 35.9 centimetres (14.12 in) of rain in 24 hours.[1] Average gusts were reported at 119 kilometres per hour (64 kn) on Waglan Island, with 194 kilometres per hour (105 kn) at times. At the Royal Observatory, the storm dropped 42.7 cm (16.83 in) of rain. The mean winds blew southwesterly at 87 km/h (47 kn), exposing many small boats and villages.[9] The No. 10 warning signal was issued by the Royal Observatory. However, according to the report written by the Observatory, the use of No. 10 warning signal was not strictly justified according to international procedures, since sustained surface winds of 119 km/h (64 kn) were not observed.[9] Across the colony, damage to roads, buildings, and communication were significant. Landslides, and other fallen debris blocked roads,[1] and weak refugee shacks in the hills, made out of tin and tar paper, quickly collapsed.[6] All stores and public transportation were shut down inside the city. The Customs reported that more than 50 fishing vessels capsized and sank in the anchorages during the typhoon.[1] Two ocean freighters, the Malaya Fir and the Wan Fu,[10] ran aground onto the Kai Tak Airstrip. Although the floods have caused extreme damage, it helped with the local shortage of water, with reservoirs gaining eleven million kilolitres (3,000,000,000 US gal) of water.[1]

After the storm, 18,000 refugees from Mainland China became homeless.[7] The official count was 45 casualties, 11 missing, and 127 injured,[11] with most casualties coming from refugees.[7] Overall, 462 small watercraft were damaged or destroyed.[11]

In Mainland China, the typhoon brought heavy rain and wind into the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian. Dikes and dams were severely damaged by the storm, leading to severe flooding. Thousands of people were trying to reinforce these as the floodwaters continued to rise. Manpower was also used to gather ripened crops before the storm destroyed them.[1] More than 4,800 buildings were damaged, and over 540,000 hectares (1,330,000 acres) of land was affected by the storm. The total number of casualties was reportedly 1,600; and 180,000 cattle were reported killed.[12]

Macau received a similar amount of rain as Hong Kong, which caused local flooding.[6] The winds uprooted trees, blocking local streets.[13]

About 260 kilometres (160 mi) southeast of Hong Kong,[6] the cargo ship Sheng Lee sank during the typhoon. Fifty-four survivors were rescued and safely transported to the British colony by the Royal Navy frigate HMS Torquay,[7] with help from Dutch ships, and the Republic of China Navy and Air Force.[6]

Off the coast of Mainland China, in the Matsu Islands, many fishing boats were damaged by the heavy seas and the torrential rainfall. Three people were injured in the islands.[7] In Taiwan, downtown Taipei received significant flooding, and some rice crops on the south part of the island were damaged. Although there were no reported deaths on the island, four fisherman offshore died.[1] The nearby Okinawa Islands received winds around 105 kilometres per hour (65 mph).[7]