bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

sponsorType

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

SCMP Reporter

It's not often that Hong Kong, famed for being a 24-hour city, grinds to a halt.
But Typhoon Utor succeeded on Wednesday in transforming the city into a ghost town.


Like a scene from the Hollywood blockbuster 28 Days Later - where the human race is wiped out by a virus - the streets, walkways and harbour fell silent, with only a few brave souls venturing out.

Despite Hong Kong Observatory issuing a T8 warning at 1.40am, the storm appeared to have little effect on the city, other than to ensure most people stayed safely inside.
Many workers enjoyed an unexpected day off as schools, courts and offices kept their doors closed and ferries were cancelled.

It was a very different picture to last July's T10 typhoon, when trees were torn up by howling winds and torrential rain poured down.
Utor led the Observatory to raise the first T8 signal of this year's storm season.


How Typhoon Utor left Hong Kong's streets looking like a scene from 28 Days Later

A deserted North Point. Photo: David Akast

Central's streets are empty

Gloucester Road, Central

A walkway in Central

A still from the film 28 Days Later

Storm signal lowered No 3 as Typhoon Utor moves away from Hong Kong

Typhoon Utor passes Hong Kong, whipping up strong winds. Photo: Sam Tsang

A nearly deserted street in North Point, at 8.45am, in this photo from reader David Akast.

Runners brave the rain in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Sam Tsang

This photo submitted by a reader and taken on Wednesday morning was titled "Silent Waterways".

Tourists on the Peak brave Utor's wind and rain for a little typhoon sightseeing on Tuesday. Photo: Sam Tsang

A pedestrian in Hong Kong battles Typhoon Utor's strong winds on Tuesday afternoon. Photo: Sam Tsang

Typhoon Utor's path. Map: Hong Kong Observatory

It was a struggle to keep hold of umbrellas at The Peak amid strengthening winds. Photo: Sam Tsang

A Hongkonger battles the elements - with whatever is at hand. Photo: Sam Tsang

Vessels take shelter on Tuesday in a Haikou port on Hainan Island in advance of the approaching Typhoon Utor. Photo: Xinhua

The view from Olympic, in this photo submitted by reader Debby Liu.

Taxis are grounded along a street in North Point. Photo: SCMP Pictures

North Point streets are empty. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Despite the T8 signal, the Pakistan Club in Kowloon still held its national flag hoisting ceremony, in this photo from reader Ali Nawaz Malik. 

A worker reinforces glass doors at a train station in Haikou, Hainan. Photo: Xinhua

View from Caribbean Coast in Tung Chung on Wednesday morning. Reader Sushil Jadhwani calls this: All calm after the rain!

The Gundam robot outside Times Square in Causeway Bay is covered up amid strong winds. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Shop windows in Tsim Sha Tsui are reinforced with tape. Photo: Sam Tsang

Tourists wait at the China Ferry Terminal in Kowloon after all boat trips were cancelled. Photo: Edward Wong

News

Hong Kong

Weather

Like a scene from the Hollywood blockbuster 28 Days Later - where the human race is wiped out by a virus - the streets, walkways and harbour fell silent, with only a few brave souls venturing out..
