Travel Chaos

Typhoon wreaks havoc in Hong Kong and disrupts flights, including in Malaysia.

PETALING JAYA: Hong Kong is up and running again after a forced shutdown early yesterday morning when Typhoon Nida struck.

Hong Kong residents were able to go about their daily business by midday yesterday, when officials ended the rainstorm alert.

Malaysian Wong Wei-Shen, 29, who lives and works on the island said the authorities had issued a tropical cyclone warning signal No 8 at 8.40pm on Monday night.

“It was a little windy when I left work and it was drizzling, nothing unusual just like if I were in Malaysia,” she said

In anticipation of Typhoon Nida, thousands of workers were evacuated from an offshore oil platform and tunnels and bridges that are under construction to link the territory with two other cities.

Hundreds took refuge in government shelters when torrential rain and gusts of over 150kph hit the island.

“The rain got heavier by midnight, and it was still raining when I woke up at 7am yesterday. It seemed windy and there were leaves and rubbish scattered on the roads,” Wong added.

Hong Kong Observatory dropped the tropical cyclone warning signal to No 3 at about 1pm yesterday, allowing people to return to work.

Postgraduate student Lim Wey Wen only felt minimal impact of the typhoon as she chose to stay home.

“The Hong Kong Exchange was closed, but some went back to work after the storm signal was lowered,” she said.

Australian student Jennifer Lee, 21, said from her experience as an islander, the hard-hitting typhoon was normal for them.

“Typhoons are quite typical in Hong Kong and Taiwan in summer, but we are cautious nonetheless,” said Lee, who is currently travelling around Taiwan.

Another student, who has been here since June, said the electricity and communication lines were working as usual despite the typhoon.

“Shops and the MTR (Hong Kong’s subway system) were closed for a while during the heavy rain and wind. People crowded the shops yesterday to stock up,” she said.