The death toll from Typhoon Hato has risen to 12 as the most powerful storm to hit the southern Chinese region around Hong Kong in more than half a century barreled west.
Macau says eight people were killed in the gambling enclave, including two men found overnight in a parking garage. Another 153 were listed as injured amid extensive flooding, power outages, and the smashing of doors and windows by the high winds and driving rain.
China’s official Xinhua News Agency says four more people were killed in the neighboring province of Guangdong and one person remains missing. Hato roared into the area on Wednesday with winds of up to 160 kilometers (99 miles) per hour.
Macau lawmaker Jose Pereira Coutinho called the typhoon destruction “a calamity,” adding that had heard from many people who still had no water or electricity.
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11:20 a.m.
Authorities and state media say the death toll from powerful Typhoon Hato in southern China has risen to at least nine.
Macau’s Government Information Bureau said five people were killed and 153 injured in the gambling enclave.
China’s official Xinhua News Agency said Wednesday another four were killed in the neighboring province of Guangdong while one person remains missing. Hato was the most powerful typhoon to hit the area in 53 years, packing winds of up to 160 kilometers (99 miles) per hour on Tuesday.
Xinhua said that in southern China, almost 27,000 people were evacuated to emergency shelters, while extensive damage to farmland and the loss of power to almost 2 million households was also reported.
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4:25 p.m.
Officials say a powerful typhoon has caused at least three deaths in the Chinese gambling enclave of Macau.
Macau’s Government Information Bureau said three men, aged 30, 45 and 62, were killed in falls and accidents Wednesday related to the heavy rain and gusting winds. At least two other people were listed as missing.
Typhoon Hato came within 60 kilometers (37 miles) of the nearby financial center of Hong Kong.
China’s weather service said the storm made landfall around noon in Zhuhai in the neighboring province of Guangdong, with winds gusting at 45 meters (147.64 feet) per second.
Flooding and power outages were also reported in Hong Kong and Macau, which lie across the water 64 kilometers (40 miles) from each other.
Original Post and Picture: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/nation-world/article168806237.html
https://wirelesswind.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Hong_Kong_Asia_Storm_61393-1030x686-2.jpg6861030Jason Pohl/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/wirelesswind-logob.pngJason Pohl2017-08-29 14:39:072024-03-28 17:37:48The Latest: Typhoon death toll in China rises to 12
Though many unfortunate factors can result in aviation accidents, among an aircraft’s greatest threats are ice, fog and wind shear, which is rapidly changing wind currents.
According to NASA, phenomena known as microbursts, which are short-lived downdrafts that are often present during thunderstorms, can create forceful and dangerous wind shear.
The National Weather Service (NWS) defines downdrafts as small-scale columns of air that rapidly sink toward the ground, usually accompanied by rain.
Planes are particularly vulnerable during takeoff and landing.
On July 9, 1982, a microburst brought down Pan Am flight 759 from New Orleans International Airport, killing 153 people.
It caused decreasing headwind and downdraft, which the pilot would have struggled to recognize in time, the NTSB official report concluded.
A microburst also caused Delta Airlines flight 191 to crash in Dallas on Aug. 2, 1985.
While attempting to pass through rainbeneath a storm, it crashed 6,300 feet north of its runway at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, hitting and killing a driver, according to the NTSB report.
Lack of training and real-time wind shear hazard information contributed to the deaths of 134 passengers, the NTSB reported.
Between 1970 and 1985, low-altitude wind shear caused crashes that killed 575 people, according to the NTSB.
In 1988, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated that commercial aircraft be equipped with wind shear detection systems by 1993.
“Wind shear accidents have become very rare in recent years thanks to better forecasting tools, pilot training and sophisticated onboard warning systems,” said Patrick Smith, an active airline pilot and air travel blogger.
“But the phenomena is still potentially dangerous,” he said.
They occur when water droplets suspend in the air at the Earth’s surface.
Hazards arise when visibility is reduced to a quarter of a mile or less, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA).
In 1977, upon takeoff from Los Rodeos Airport in the Canary Islands, KLM flight 4805 sheared the top off Pan Am flight 1736, which shared the same runway.
According to the official report, heavy fog enveloping the airport prevented both flight crews from spotting each other until it was too late.
It was the deadliest fog-related crash in history, killing 574 people.
The control tower was unable to see the two planes, and at the time, the Los Rodeos Airport had no ground tracking radar.
A number of other factors, including poor communication, also contributed.
“The ultimate cause was the KLM pilot initiating takeoff without clearance and disregarding his crew’s inquiries about whether they were cleared for takeoff,” said aviation consultant Jim Goldfuss.
“Airport surveillance radars as well as taxiway and runway lighting technology has adapted to prevent accidents like this,” he said.
Icy aircraft dangers
Ice-covered planes pose another potentially deadly risk.
In 1982, 78 people perished when Air Florida flight 90 smashed into a bridge, collapsing into the icy Potomac River shortly after takeoff.
The tail section of the Air Florida jetliner that crashed in the Potomac River in Washington is hoisted by a crane onto a floating barge after being removed, Monday, Jan. 19, 1982 from the water. (AP Photo)
“Parked at the terminal, an aircraft collects precipitation the way your car does — via snowfall, sleet, freezing rain or frost,” Smith said.
Icing can disrupt airflow around a wing, which robs a plane of lift, he said.
Flight 90 departed Washington National Airport with icy wings during moderate to heavy snowfall, according to the crash report.
“[This] changes the wing’s shape, which can result in a stall at a higher-than-expected speed,” said Goldfuss.
The NTSB reported that the flight crew’s failure to use engine anti-ice before takeoff and their decision to depart with ice on the plane contributed to the crash.
A decade later, US Air flight 405 departed New York’s LaGuardia Airport, also with icy wings.
The plane lost lift just after leaving the runway and crashed into a nearby bay, killing 27.
It had been previously de-iced.
However, the NTSB concluded that the flight crew’s failure to check for ice accumulation on the wings 35 minutes after exposure to precipitation was a contributing factor to the crash, which occurred more than 20 years ago.
“We’ve come a long way with it as far as anti-icing and de-icing, as well as improved crew training and how to deal with icing conditions,” said Smith.
“Those [crashes] were tough lessons to learn,” said Smith, “but airliner crashes brought on by icing have become exceptionally rare.”
LAHORE: Around 13 people died and over 100 were injured in separate incidents after rain and windstorms lashed several cities across Punjab on Saturday.
Several cities, including Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Kasur, Bahawalnagar, Multan, Chichawatni and Lodhran received light and heavy rain on Saturday, along with gusty winds.
Six people died and around 60 were injured in Bahawalnagar alone, after thunderstorm hit the city in southern Punjab. Strong winds knocked down billboards and brought down roofs and walls of various structures.
An emergency was declared at the District Headquarters Hospital. Among the deceased was a 10-year-old girl while the injured too included five children and 10 women.
In Chichawatni, Sahiwal, various rain and wind-related incidents caused the deaths of three people, including two children and led to injuries to around 22 people.
In Lahore, a man died and three others were wounded after roof of a house collapsed in Chauhang area. A woman died in a similar incident in Faisalabad in which one was also injured.
In Multan, a man died of electrocution while 19 were injured in rain-related accidents. Similarly, in Rajanpur, a father and son were killed after being electrocuted.
Over 28 people were reported injured in different incidents in Multan and Lodhran as well.
The rainfall resulted in tripping of several feeders of Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco), suspending power supply to a large part of the region.
The cities affected by subsequent power breakdown included Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur and Nankana Sahib.
Meanwhile, several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as Murree and surrounding areas received heavy rain and hail.
At least one person was killed Wednesday after blowing dust triggered multiple vehicle collisions throughout Illinois.
Strong thunderstorm winds caused the dust storms in the Prairie State, according to weather.com meteorologist Brian Donegan. A portion of Interstate 72 near New Berlin and along Interstate 55 near Auburn were affected by the conditions.
The fatal accident occurred on Route 36 between Tuscola and Camargo, IllinoisHomepage.net reports. The roadway was shut down between the two towns. The victim’s identity has not yet been released.
The vehicle containing the victim was involved in a multi-car accident that included at least one tractor-trailer, according to the State-Journal Register. Multiple other injuries were reported from the pileup and at least one motorist had to be pulled from the wreckage of their car.
Police shut down Interstate 72 at the Morgan-Sangamon county line and eastbound Illinois Route 104 at Auburn due to the conditions, which they described as being a “total blackout” at times, the State Journal-Register reports.
U.S. Route 6 had to be closed between Wyanet and Princeton after poor visibility caused two crashes, according to NewsTribune. Traffic on Interstate 80 was slowed to a halt due to accidents.
https://wirelesswind.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/dust1-260x185-1.webp185260Jason Pohl/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/wirelesswind-logob.pngJason Pohl2017-07-26 13:01:442024-06-20 23:38:31At Least 1 Dead as Dust Storms Cause Pileups in Illinois
Gale force winds caused accidents and power cuts in parts of Macclesfield.
Strong gusts of up to 55mph caused a Costa Coffee van to come off the road along the A537 Cat and Fiddle.
Macclesfield Police responded to the accident which took place yesterday afternoon (Tuesday, June 6) with a humorous tweet “Ground by the wind. This is going to Costa lot to repair #ohbeans”.
There have also been reports of a power cut in Prestbury.
Engineers are heading to the SK10 4 postcode.
A spokesperson for Electricity North West, said: “Damage to an overhead line caused the loss of power to 15 customers in Macclesfield at 12.59am this morning.
“Power supplies have been removed to customers to allow our engineers to safely carry out repairs. Our engineers are working to get customers power supply back on as soon as possible.
“We would like to apologise for any inconvenience and thank customers for their support. If any customers need any further information we are on hand 24/7 on the new national number 105 or Twitter @ElectricityNW.”
Last night, the Met Office made an official ‘yellow’ warning, which means severe weather is possible over the next few days, in hilly areas.
https://wirelesswind.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/beans1-260x185-1.webp185260Jason Pohl/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/wirelesswind-logob.pngJason Pohl2017-07-26 12:40:092024-06-20 23:40:12Gale force winds cause accidents and powercuts
Larnaca District Court on Thursday acquitted the operator of a 200-tonne tower crane that fell on to Phinikoudes promenade in October 2012 – killing a 65-year-old woman, injuring three others and damaging five cars – after the prosecution failed to prove the case.
The crane operator, Christos Peristianis, had been charged with causing death through reckless or dangerous acts, omissions of persons responsible for dangerous equipment and negligent acts causing physical harm and serious bodily harm.
In its ruling, the court said was Peristianis was accused on October 10, 2012, by want of precaution or by by rash or careless act not amounting to culpable negligence, of not completely unlocking the crane brake, meaning strong winds caused its fall, resulting in the death of Christine-Marie Coleman and the injury of three other people.
Any person who by want of precaution or by by rash or careless act, not amounting to culpable negligence, unintentionally causes the death of another person is guilty of a misdemeanour and is liable to imprisonment for two years, or to a fine not exceeding one €170.
He was also accused of, while he was solely responsible for the crane, having neglected to take the necessary precautions against any possible risk arising from such a motorised machine.
The T-shaped crane- 44-metres in length and 80 metres in width – was part of a construction site managed by a contractor hired by Larnaca municipality to build an extra two floors on top of the town hall on Phinikoudes Avenue. It fell on to the promenade during strong winds averaging between 6 and 9 on Beaufort scale, crashing down on a moving car containing Victor and Christine-Marie Coleman, 65 and 67, who were permanent residents of Vrysoulles village.
The two had to be freed from the mangled car by emergency services before being rushed to hospital. Christine-Marie died at the hospital from multiple injuries including haemorrhages in her brain and lungs, while her husband sustained head and brain injuries and internal cranial haemorrhaging.
A 47-year-old Iranian man lost his finger trying to flee from the falling crane on foot, and a 60-year-old Cypriot pedestrian suffered a fractured hand.
Eye-witness accounts said the crane’s fall was broken by the cars underneath, which changed the direction of the crane as it hit the ground, narrowly missing a kiosk with seven people inside.
The court ruled that prosecution had failed to prove its case against the accused, since it could not prove that Peristianis “did not take all the appropriate action to unlock the crane to rotate with the wind’s direction”. The fact that he was the last person to operate the crane, the ruling said, “does not prove in itself, and especially in a criminal case, which should be beyond reasonable doubt, that he failed to take the necessary precautions, which resulted in the crane falling”.
The court also ruled that the operator had partially unlocked the crane brake and therefore took the appropriate action that requires full unlocking of the brake.
“The accused actually did what the police accused him of failing to do, namely to deactivate the brake”, the ruling said. It added that the operator is not considered responsible because the brake was not fully deactivated.
The court also raised questions over the checks carried out on the crane by its owner and the state electromechanical services on the remote control with which the break was released. It was reported that about 10 months before the accident, the remote control was destroyed by lightning and replaced by one from another machine that was not tested for compatibility.
The new remote control, the court said, did not have an operator’s notification function that the rotation brake was released, and this gap created a breach in the prosecution’s attempt to prove that the operator was guilty. It also said that it took into consideration that the crane was last operated by Peristianis at 10.30am that day, while the accident occurred at 8.30pm.
The court also said that after the accident the crane was stored in the premises of the construction company that owned it instead of being handed over to police. It said that this raised an issue with possible tampering.
Anybody working in the construction industry either here in the UK or anywhere else in the world is likely to know that the weather can present us with particular hazards. While rain, ice and snow are particularly dangerous to work in, we must always be aware that the wind is also likely to make conditions unsafe, particularly for those who work at height and those who operate access machinery like cranes.
It’s often the case that adverse weather conditions, especially strong winds, will lead to what’s known as NPT (that’s Non Productive Time) – downtime when it’s not safe to operate the crane due to the high winds. This can lead to delays in the project and the extra costs incurred by having the workforce unable to carry out tasks while they wait for the wind to drop and the crane to become operational once more.
Project case histories reveal that NPT days can increase the overall time for job completion by more than 100% in some instances which adds significantly to the total project costs. This means that any construction project that involves the use of a crane will need to take into account downtime that results in hours lost due to adverse weather – the total number of working hours expected to be lost to the thresholds of wind speed. The total hours lost will need to be recorded accurately with evidential weather reports so that this information can be used when the inevitable disputes arise.
These disputes are known in the industry as weather claims– inclement weather delays will need to be verified with detailed weather summaries showing the actual values and the departure times from the long term average. These downtime disputes represent a real problem in the construction industry so post project reports often rely on accurate historical weather data in order to settle any claims. This means that crane operators in particular will need an accurate record of the weather conditions throughout any project that can be referred to in order to help settle downtime disputes and claims.
A large number of companies in the construction and manufacturing industries rely on overhead cranes for lifting and transporting materials. Overhead crane accidents account for several injuries and fatalities every year and crane operators need to be aware of particular hazards that occur and follow the relevant safety procedures to avoid them.
While many accidents that involve cranes are the result of mechanical errors, inadequate experience or lack of training (all of which can be addressed), some accidents are caused by forces beyond the crane operators control, such as weather conditions, especially when there are high winds. Those who work at height using access equipment also need to be aware of the effect high winds can have and the need to minimise the risk of accidents caused by gusty conditions.
WEATHER HAZARDS
Working during windy weather involves taking extra precautionary measures and all crane operators should have the following procedures in place:
Procedures to respond to high wind alerts
Procedures to coordinate with other cranes
Procedures for securing cranes in high winds.
If the weather conditions are severe then it’s likely that crane operators will face significant delays in work – this will have a knock on effect on any construction site as work may come to a total standstill while the workforce is waiting around for the wind to drop and the crane to become operational once again.
THE COSTS OF ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
A Construction Trade Survey shows that activity in the construction industry decreased during the first quarter of 2013 with the impact of falling demand being intensified by poor weather conditions. When a crane is out of service due to high winds or other harsh weather conditions, the project is delayed which can be very costly and often leads to disputes between employers and contractors in relation to project delay.
The contractor may be entitled to an extension of time to complete the work necessary and this may lead to a claim for direct loss and expense, a dispute which is often stringently contested. When there is a delay to a construction project which impacts on the completion date and that delay was not caused by the contractor, then this can be seen as a ‘compensation event’ for which the contractor may be entitled to an extension of time and, in some cases, loss and expense.
While some contracts list adverse weather conditions as a relevant event, others may not. Even if adverse weather is not specifically mentioned, it may still qualify as a neutral matter which directly affects the completion date. However, contracts don’t always define the term “adverse weather”, leaving this to the discretion of the contract administrator which is a potential source of disputes.
With adverse weather conditions affecting the progress of construction projects, it’s essential that construction companies understand the rights available to them and the contractual processes which must be followed before any extension of time or additional payment can be authorised.
The construction industry is Europe’s largest industrial employer, generating nearly 10% of the European Union’s GDP and the industry plays a crucial role in the economic recovery that is so badly needed.
OPERATING IN HIGH WINDS
All cranes have a maximum design wind speed for safe operation and if the wind exceeds this limit, the crane must be taken out of service. Different types of crane, different models of the same type of crane and different configurations of the same model may operate with different maximum wind speeds. This all means that an accurate way of measuring wind speed is essential in order to operate both safely and efficiently.
HOW TO AVOID EXTRA COSTS IN CONSTRUCTION
Because the severity and duration of adverse weather conditions is notoriously difficult to predict and the weather can change so rapidly, contractors need to find other ways to keep an eye on the weather in order to ensure maximum safety on building projects. This is where WINDCRANE™ comes into play – it helps contractors to monitor wind speeds (whether on construction sites, roofs, tall structures or cranes) and ensure that the appropriate health and safety procedures are followed.
Maintaining safe levels of operation is essential in the construction industry in order to comply with health and safety legislation. Failure to maintain safe levels can lead to fatal or life-changing accidents for workers and costly compensation claims for employers. WINDCRANE™ is the ideal solution to help avoid such accidents.
WINDCRANE™ is a tried and tested wind monitoring kit that offers the following advantages:
Live maximum wind speed and wind direction data with total accessibility (on site and in the office) which serves to minimise downtime.
Instant alerts via mobile phones and computers which allows enhanced decision making processes, particularly in the area of health and safety.
Reliable GSM wireless communication delivering data to mobile phones.
The Plug and Play technology means that there is no need for specialist installation services or technical support. Updates are carried out automatically and remotely with no changes needed to data logging equipment on site.
Limitless operating range via GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) signals, the default global standard for mobile communication in Europe and most other countries and the speediest and most reliable method of data transfer available.
Full historical back up of events with automatic messages sent to site managers and crane operators which results in an improved communications process. Wind speed can be viewed anytime, anywhere and historical information can be exported in an easy format for use on internal and external reports.
Tough and durable IP67 rated kit to offer total protection against dust and water immersion – the robust hardware is built to last.
WINDCRANE™ is supplied pre-wired and ready to install and provides crane operators, site managers and contractors with real time wind speed and wind gust data. This allows construction sites to comply with health and safety policy and ensure that safe and efficient work practices are adhered to during adverse weather conditions. Moreover, the WINDCRANE™ kit is 100% mobile – it can be removed and remounted in just a few minutes and can be used on multiple sites within any time period.
WINDCRANE™ allows users to view up-to-date, real-time information via a dashboard display and the kit will issue alerts to notify users of approaching maximum safe wind speeds. The kit can be powered by mains supply or a solar panel battery pack. Instant wind data is displayed on the dashboard and can also be accessed by office computers and mobile phones.
As for avoiding costs incurred due to downtime and any ensuing project delays, WINDCRANE™ provides historical information in a data management portal that can be used to provide accurate information during disputes.
Wind speed and direction is measured with an anemometer and recorded using WINDCRANE’s mobile wind data logger. The wind data is sent remotely to our online data management web portal and dashboard display via GSM. The data is wirelessly transmitted to the cloud with 24/7 backup providing an efficient and reliable solution with no risk of hardware malfunction for the user.
https://wirelesswind.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/WC-fc3_Macbook-1.jpg795772Jason Pohl/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/wirelesswind-logob.pngJason Pohl2017-05-18 14:52:192023-12-28 21:51:03Weather claims and wind safety
Nobody can have failed to have seen last week’s news about the crane collapse in the USA. It seems that a crew operating a crane on Friday morning noted the wind gusts that accompanied the snow fall and decided that they needed to lower the crane to a more secure level. As the 565 ft. boom on the crane was being lowered workers used a huge counterweight to keep it balanced and ensure that it was lowered slowly. However, this was to no avail and the crane began to topple over then plunged into freefall crashing onto a street below.
As you can imagine, investigations are underway into just how this terrible accident occurred and initial speculation points to wind gusts playing a significant part in the collapse. It’s thought that the incident was caused by a sudden 40 mph gust of wind which was measured on nearby weather instruments. It will probably be quite some time before the investigation is completed. It’s hoped that the weather monitoring equipment will provide a full historic log of wind data for the time of the accident that will allow the investigation to proceed with speed and accuracy. This incident just serves to remind us of how important it is to have the correct wind monitoring equipment in place when working with cranes, especially in heavily built up areas.
Following 5 major tower crane incidents in 2000, The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published a report in 2010 on “Tower Crane Incidents Worldwide” in order to assist in advising and guiding the UK tower crane industry to help improve safety. The report considered 86 incidents involving the collapse or major structural failure of a tower crane that took place between 1989 and 2009. While “unknown causes” were found to be behind 28 of the incidents, once these are discounted, there were 57 incidents that were divided into categories according to the cause of the incident. Alarmingly, extreme weather was the second most common cause – accounting for 26% of the remaining collapses.
When we look more closely at the incidents caused by extreme weather, two were associated with earthquakes. Of the remaining incidents, 6 involved luffing tower cranes, 5 saddle jib tower cranes while it’s unknown what type of crane were involved in the other two. However, the report reveals that both types of crane are equally susceptible to structural damage in strong winds. This means that strong winds have been the cause of a quarter of the crane collapse incidents, demonstrating that there’s a definite need to monitor the wind closely at all times.
Using a device that can be attached to the crane and that will alert users when conditions are becoming dangerous is vital to ensure health and safety. A robust solution that can deliver real-time wind information, backed up by a historical log that’s easily accessible at all times is essential for crane operators in order to avoid these types of incident in the future.
https://wirelesswind.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/screen_display_1-1.jpg12552048Jason Pohl/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/wirelesswind-logob.pngJason Pohl2016-02-11 15:19:502023-12-28 21:00:49Dealing with extreme weather and wind gusts
