Schools and businesses closed while hundreds of flights were cancelled in Hong Kong and other parts of southern China on Friday as Typhoon Saola swept close to the coast, bringing strong winds and heavy rain in what could be the region’s strongest storm in five years.
It had been a super typhoon on Thursday, but was downgraded to typhoon status Friday – though it still remains the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane, with winds reaching 220 kilometers per hour (140 miles per hour).
Three people were injured and taken to hospital in Hong Kong, according to the city’s Information Services Department. The Home Affairs Department opened dozens of temporary shelters. There were seven cases of flooding, but no reports of landslides so far.
Residents in the city began preparing for the typhoon on Thursday as it approached, with many flocking to supermarkets and stores to stock up on food and essential goods.
Strong winds began picking up on Friday afternoon, with the storm expected to come the closest to the city and to China’s southern Guangdong province at night and into Saturday morning.
However, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center said the centre of the storm will likely remain offshore instead of moving over land, and will weaken as it approaches to become the equivalent of Category 2 hurricane.
It expected that winds would gradually weaken Saturday as the typhoon moves west along the coast away from Hong Kong.
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