The 1937 Great Hong Kong Typhoon was one of the deadliest typhoons in Hong Kong history, with a death toll estimated between 11,000 and 13,000. Part of the 1937 Pacific typhoon season, the tropical cyclone originated on 24 August to the south of Guam, which proceeded generally to the west-northwest. On 1 September the storm entered the South China Sea, and early the next day, the typhoon passed just south of Hong Kong before making landfall in southern China. It weakened after moving ashore, dissipating on 3 September.
Ahead of the storm's landfall, the Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) issued warning signals and set off explosives, known as a typhoon bomb, to warn the public. During its closest approach, the typhoon produced wind gusts of at least 201 km/h (125 mph), although its true intensity was unknown, as the gusts surpassed the capacity of the anemometer. Unofficial nearby observations recorded gusts as high as 268 km/h (167 mph). The typhoon also produced heavy rainfall and high tides, with a high water mark at Tai Po estimated at 6.25 metres (20.5 ft). The typhoon killed at least 11,000 people, possibly as many as 13,000, many of them fishermen, with 1,855 fishing boats wrecked, as well as 28 ships bound for the ocean. Across the territory, the storm damaged houses, factories, roads, and rail lines, with damage estimated at HK$1 million (US$300,000). Nearby Macau lost 21 people.
Why this event still matters
Historical incidents shape the rules that protect people today — building codes, evacuation policy, warning systems and inspection regimes almost always trace back to a specific disaster. Studying Great Hong Kong Typhoon of 1937 alongside current events is how preparedness improves.
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