Schools closed and hundreds of flights cancelled as Typhoon Hato nears Hong Kong
Airport fears worst disruptions since it opened two decades ago as residents batten down hatches
Hong Kong dug in on Tuesday night for a siege by a storm on track to be one of the worst in recent years, and expected to cripple air travel, as Typhoon Hato barrelled towards the coast of southern China, the city in its path.
As the Observatory prepared to raise the No 8 signal before 5.30am, airlines on Tuesday were already warning of cancellations and delays on Wednesday that could turn out to be the worst disruptions since Hong Kong International Airport opened nearly two decades ago.
At 3:20am, the Education Bureau announced schools would be closed on Wednesday.
“The EDB announces that classes of all day schools are suspended today. If classes of evening schools are required to be suspended, the bureau will make the announcement in due course,” the bureau said.
The approach of Hato, the Japanese word for pigeon, was packing enough of a punch for China’s national weather authorities to issue their second highest alert for rainstorms and warn of downpours hitting the region.