Hong Kong - Typhoon Hato, a maximum
category 10 storm, slammed into Hong Kong on Wednesday lashing
the Asian financial hub with destructive winds and waves which
uprooted trees, flooded streets and forced most businesses to
close.
More than 400 flights were cancelled, financial markets
suspended and schools closed as Hato bore down on the city, the
first category 10 storm to hit Hong Kong since typhoon Vicente
in 2012.
Many skyscrapers in the heart of the financial centre were
empty and in darkness as the city's workers stayed at home and
hunkered through the storm.
Hato churned up Hong Kong's iconic Victoria Harbour and
triggered large swells and massive waves on some of the city's
most popular beaches, with serious flooding in low-lying areas.
Getting Stormy now in #Hongkong.. Hongkong Raises Highest warning for Severe Typhoon #Hato- Stay Safe Everyone pic.twitter.com/2J77Fa47Nc
— RP (@WhatDaffaq) August 23, 2017 My colleague in #HongKong just shared this clip of #Hato's impact on our group chat. People literally getting blown away! #StaySafe! #Aiya!💨 pic.twitter.com/g0JuQm8dX0— davinarapaport (@davinarapaport) August 23, 2017
In residential districts like Heng Fa Chuen on densely
populated Hong Kong island, massive waves smashed against the
sides of oceanfront buildings and surged over a promenade,
swamping vehicles parked nearby.
Construction cranes swayed precipitously from the tops of
skyscrapers, trees toppled and residents deployed canoes to get
around on some streets.
Footage of a falling crane in SZ during #TyphoonHato and probably taken from HK side #typhoon #hato #shenzhen #hongkong pic.twitter.com/bP8adlNyZe
— René Hengeveld (@ReneHengeveld) August 23, 2017 Meanwhile in HK #TyphoonHato pic.twitter.com/ZI29KUR6QV— Eric Delattre (@eriiiic) August 23, 2017 Meanwhile in HK (Hang Fa Tsuen) #TyphoonHato pic.twitter.com/5dBpUU6rfz— Eric Delattre (@eriiiic) August 23, 2017
"I've never seen one like this," said Garrett Quigley, a
longtime resident of Lantau island to the west of the city.
"Cars are half submerged and roads are impassable with
flooding and huge trees down. It's crazy."
Maximum winds near Hato's centre were recorded at a
destructive 155 kmh (95 mph).
A senior scientific officer for the Hong Kong observatory
said sea levels could rise up to five metres in some
places, with the government issuing flood alerts and opening 27
temporary shelters across the city.
Winds intensified in the morning, with the maximum sustained
winds recorded at Tate's Cairn and Waglan Island at 77 kmh and 72 kmh, with maximum gusts of 103 kmh and 86 kmh respectively.
Trading in Hong Kong's financial markets was halted for the
day, the stock exchange said. Typhoon Nida in August last year
was the last storm to close the exchange for the whole day.
A total of 420 airline flights to and from Hong Kong had
been cancelled, said the government.
The city's flagship carrier, Cathay Pacific, said
the storm would "severely" impact flight operations, with the
majority of flights to and from Hong Kong between 2200 GMT
Tuesday and 0900 GMT Wednesday to be cancelled.
Hong Kong Airlines also suspended most of its flights on
Wednesday up until 0900 GMT.
Other transport services, including ferries to the gaming
hub of Macau and outlying islands in Hong Kong, were suspended.