Macao closes bridges amid tropical storm

MACAO, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Macao's three sea-spanning bridges were closed by the traffic authorities Saturday as the escalating tropical cyclone Neoguri swept through the island city.

The Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) hoisted Gale Signal No. 8 at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, warning that the hurricane has been detected 250 km southwest off Macao's coast, and was moving at a speed of 15 km per hour northward.

As the storm escalated, the three bridges linking the Macao Peninsula and Taipa island were closed at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, but the authorities has opened the under layer passage of the city's Sai Van Bridge for sea-crossing traffic during the storm period, but was limited only to light vehicles.

Three bridges Sai Van, Nobre De Carvalho and Friendship, and a strip of reclaimed land link the Macao peninsula and the two islands, Taipa and Coloane.

Last year, the SMG has hoisted the Gale Signal No. 3 only once and No. 1 twice, whilst no cyclones has reached the level that required the SMG to hoist No. 8.