The Macao observatory has lowered its storm surge warning from red, its second most severe level, to blue. The Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG) announced its decision in a statement at 3 pm.

Blue, the lowest of Macao’s five-level storm surge warning system (blue, yellow, orange, red, black), indicates that the water level is expected to be below 0.5 metres above road level. This morning, the water level exceeded 1.5 metres.

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Videos released on social media showed dozens of residents catching fish washed up in low-lying areas when signal No 10 (T10), Macao’s highest storm warning signal, was hoisted. Two healthcare officials contacted by The Macau Post Daily this afternoon warned against the consumption of the fish, considering their unknown origin. During T10, the authorities repeatedly urged residents and tourists to stay indoors.

Meanwhile, the observatory lowered T10 to T8 at 4 pm today. Super Typhoon Ragasa was downgraded to a severe typhoon this afternoon. At 4 pm, Ragasa was estimated to be about 140 km southwest of Macao. It was forecast to move west-northwest at around 20 km/h towards the coast of western Guangdong.

In an update at 4 pm, the Civil Protection Operations Centre reported 192 incidents, such as fallen trees, lampposts, signboards, and scaffolding, during the typhoon, with 4 persons injured. The centre also said that 27 car parks in low-lying areas would gradually reopen.

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The authorities told the Post this afternoon that public transport (public buses, ferries, light rapid transit) services would be resumed in due course, depending on the weather situation. Macao's border checkpoints and bridges were also set to reopen soon. Casinos, which closed by government order yesterday afternoon, were also set to reopen "as soon as possible," a gaming industry source told the Post this afternoon.

The Macau Post Daily is a media partner of China Daily.