Environment

Typhoon Nuri shuts down Hong Kong

by Amy Judd | August 22, 2008 at 12:09 pm

476 views | 10 Recommendations | 4 comments

Typhoon Nuri has shut down Hong Kong today, as gale-force winds hit the financial hub of the city and disrupted hundreds of flights.

The signal was upgraded to a Number 9, which is one short of a direct hit, and it already wrecked havoc through the northern Philippines.

The last time a storm of such severity hit Hong Kong was typhoon Dujuan in September 2003. Around four hundred flights were cancelled or delayed by early evening, including those of the city's two major carriers, Cathay Pacific and Dragon Air.

It wasn't immediately clear how the city would cope with the backlog of over 400 flights. A spokeswoman for the Hong Kong Airport Authority said arrangements would be made with the airlines, with flights likely to resume after midnight.

Much of Hong Kong ground to a standstill on Friday with the closure of financial markets, schools and offices. Howling winds swept across the former British colony, uprooting trees and churning white-tipped waves in Victoria harbor.

Streets were largely deserted and shops shuttered, with trees and scaffolding being toppled by winds of up to 94 kph (58 mph) recorded in parts of the territory.

In China's Guangdong province, thousands of people were evacuated from the coast, and the meterological centre said it may be the strongest typhoon in that province this year.

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Barry Artiste

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 14:47 on August 22nd, 2008

amyjudd, I like this story. It's good stuff. You know Amy, China certainly does not seem to be getting any breaks this past year, Mother Nature seems pissed at them for some reason. Perhaps Weather Karma?

Gone-Walkabout

at 18:47 on August 22nd, 2008

mid Friday it changed from level 8 to 9, and 8 storm isn't that wild just some wind and rain. though in the evening on Friday, after it had become 9 I had to lean into the wind to walk upright a few times.

Gone-Walkabout has contributed a photo to this story.

thecret thquirrel

at 01:46 on August 23rd, 2008

This was one palm tree blowing while a small tree flew past. Giant bamboo were uprooted and flattened, some seemed taller than the 16+ floor nearby buildings. Still, it was Pok Fu Lam, so, very sheltered compared to other parts of HK! I would loved to have been in Aberdeen where the fishing boats shelter and captured that.... next time!

thecret thquirrel has contributed a photo to this story.