Hongkongers may see Typhoon Milktea, Typhoon Dim-sum and Typhoon Junk-boat sweep through the city, after the Observatory adopted 20 reserve names for tropical cyclones following a public contest.
Over 20,000 votes were received in all, a press release from the Hong Kong Observatory stated on Wednesday. “[The] 20 tropical cyclone names with the highest numbers of votes have been selected from the 40 shortlisted suitable names with Hong Kong characteristics,” the statement said.
| Name | Name in Chinese | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Milktea | 奶茶 | 15 750 |
| Tsing-ma | 青馬 | 15 127 |
| Fo-lung | 火龍 | 14 810 |
| Dim-sum | 點心 | 14 354 |
| Sparrow | 麻雀 | 13 662 |
| Shui-sin | 水仙 | 13 463 |
| Siu-lung | 小龍 | 13 131 |
| Neon | 霓虹 | 12 713 |
| Sing-si | 醒獅 | 12 524 |
| Egret | 白鷺 | 12 296 |
| Heung-pin | 香片 | 12 279 |
| Hoi-wai | 海威 | 11 717 |
| Pui-pui | 貝貝 | 11 595 |
| Sheung-si | 相思 | 11 431 |
| Red-bean | 紅豆 | 11 006 |
| Stoneslab | 石板 | 10 940 |
| Bak-lan | 白蘭 | 10 616 |
| Sampan | 舢舨 | 10 474 |
| Junk-boat | 帆船 | 10 222 |
| Treefrog | 樹蛙 | 10 148 |
Other names include Fo-lung – which refers to a fire dragon; and Siu-lung, which translates as “little dragon,” also martial arts star Bruce Lee’s nickname. Hong Kong might play host to Tropical Cyclone Shui-sin – which refers to daffodils, popular during Lunar New Year; or Tropical Cyclone Heung-pin, which means jasmine tea. Egret, a species of bird; Hoi-wai, the name of a captive killer whale kept at Ocean Park until its death in 1997; and Pui-pui, the name of a crocodile held at the Hong Kong Wetland Park could also batter the city in the future, as could Tropical Cyclone Junk-boat or Tropical Cyclone Neon.
In general, names for tropical cyclones can be reused, but are retired if a storm incurs heavy causalities or economic loses, the Observatory website says.
Those who submitted winning names will receive a souvenir, the Observatory added.
The reserve names have now been listed on the Tropical Cyclone Name Collection Activity webpage.
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