Severe typhoon hits Hong Kong

PanARMENIAN.Net - A severe typhoon hit Hong Kong on Tuesday, July 24 disrupting business across the financial hub, with offices and the stock market to remain closed for at least part of the morning after the city raised its highest typhoon warning overnight, Reuters reported.

Typhoon Vicente battered Hong Kong with gale-force winds and torrential rain, grounding flights and shutting port operations.

Authorities hoisted the No. 10 tropical cyclone signal for several hours overnight, making this one of the strongest typhoons to hit the city in the past decade.

Financial markets, schools, businesses and non-essential government services close when a No. 8 signal or above is hoisted, posing a disruption to business in the capitalist hub and former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Fifteen flights were cancelled and more than 200 delayed late on Monday, aviation authorities said.