Typhoon Kompasu: Schools and trade suspended as strong winds and rain lash Hong Kong

Hong Kong suspended schools and suspended trading for a day as heavy wind and rain from Typhoon Kompasu hit the financial center.

The wind was raging at a speed of about 366 kilometers (227 miles) per hour and the Hong Kong Observatory issued a number eight weather warning.

A storm warning has been increased to signal No. 8 now on Wednesday, from No. 3 on Tuesday, and is predicted to remain in effect until at least 4 p.m. local time, according to the Hong Kong observatory.

Typhoon Kompasu – named after the Japanese word for compass – is the worst storm Hong Kong has faced in the past four decades. According to a. it has killed at least one person and injured seven so far Government statement on Wednesday morning.

The city was brought to a standstill with gusty winds and rains as schools closed and the Legislative Council session was even canceled.

Flooding occurred in several areas, with the government confirming seven cases as authorities set up 24 emergency shelters in different counties, where 218 people sought refuge.

If the typhoon settles down as forecast, trading on the HKEX is to resume on Thursday morning.

The typhoon was last tracked over the South China Sea towards the Chinese island of Hainan and later hit northern Vietnam. However, it has already wreaked havoc in the northern Philippines.

The tropical storm triggered landslides and flash floods in the north of the Philippines, killing 11 people and reporting seven missing, officials said on Tuesday. The storm also flooded several cities and affected over 6,500 villages.