Advertisement

Hong Kong raises highest warning for Severe Typhoon Hato

Hong Kong raised its highest storm warning Wednesday as Severe Typhoon Hato brought the city to a standstill, shutting down the stock market and forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights as heavy rain and winds pummelled the territory.

Video shot from a tower shows the wild scenes as waves batter the shore and water fills the streets.

One of the people filming can only laugh at the sheer chaos the typhoon brings in.

The weather observatory raised the storm warning to the city's maximum Typhoon 10 signal, meaning hurricane force winds are expected.

Water can be seen covering the road (left) while on the other side of the tower the wind pushes waves right up to the shore. Source: Supplied

It was the first such alert in five years and only the third time the Typhoon 10 warning has been issued since 1997, when the former British colony was handed over to China.

By 11am Hato was just 60 kilometres southwest of Hong Kong, sending metres-high waves crashing into shorelines with flooding in some areas already knee deep.

Gusts of up to 168km/h brought flying debris, tearing down trees and scaffolding and breaking construction cranes. Shops and homes taped up their windows to protect them from shattering.

The wind picks up and waves keep crashing against the base of the tower. Source: Supplied

"I was on my balcony in the village of Yuen Long when a tree literally flew past my house," said Dave Coulson from the rural northwestern New Territories, who added he was having frequent power cuts.

The normally packed streets of Hong Kong island were eerily empty, aside from a few who tried to battle through the winds.

"My five-year old daughter's first day at school was cancelled," said one woman, who gave her name as Didi, as she braved the weather to walk her dog through the neighbourhood of Tai Hang.

The Taiwan army mobilises soldiers to evacuate villagers and offer aid and rescue ahead of Typhoon Hato's arrival. Source:AAP

"I normally go up the hill to walk him but I didn't today because of the trees."

Some ventured out with cameras to snap and video the storm.

One Lohas Park resident had brought his young daughter down to experience the weather.

"I came down here to feel the winds," he told AFP.

  • More flights delayed, power outages, as Sydney's weather chaos continues this weekend

  • Little girl allergic to the weather lives in fear of hot and cold days

  • Mega-tsunami in Greenland caused by landslide not earthquake

The government said that two men had been injured so far. Around 200 people have sought refuge in temporary shelters.

The typhoon is expected to edge towards the Pearl River Estuary and to make landfall within around 100 kilometres to the west of Hong Kong in the afternoon.

The territory's flagship carrier Cathay Pacific said almost all its flights leaving before 5pm Wednesday would be cancelled, with Hong Kong Airlines following suit.

Hong Kong Airport Authorities said 420 flights had already been cancelled by daybreak.

Ferries were suspended as was the city's airport express train line, while the metro rail and buses operated on a limited service.

Hong Kong is regularly besieged by typhoons between July and October, but direct hits are rare.

The city saw its strongest storm in 1962 when the eye of typhoon Wanda passed over and gusts of 284 kilometres per hour were recorded.

It killed 130 people and destroyed thousands of residential huts, leaving 72,000 people homeless.

Since then, Hong Kong has adapted to typhoons, including making sure its highest commercial skyscrapers can sway in the wind. The extensive lockdown procedures mean the storms rarely cause deaths.

The last time the Typhoon 10 signal was raised in Hong Kong was for Typhoon Vicente in 2012.