Hong Kong has woken up to a downpour triggered by the highest-level No 10 warning, which shut down the city, as Super Typhoon Ragasa edges as close as 100km (62 miles) south of the city.
The weather forecaster, which upgraded the No 9 signal issued at 1.40am to the hurricane warning an hour later, has said Ragasa will be closest to the city between 6am and 9am on Wednesday.
The weather has deteriorated rapidly overnight, with winds strengthening quickly and reaching hurricane force offshore and on high ground at first.
The Observatory also warns of frequent heavy squally showers, large waves crashing along the shoreline, and a significant rise in water levels. It has urged residents to stay indoors.
Pre-emptive preparations are put in place across the city in response to the super typhoon, with about 600 flights cancelled on Tuesday and limited cargo freight operating on Wednesday. All classes have been suspended for two days since Tuesday.
Reporting by Oscar Liu, Lo Hoi-ying, Danny Mok, Jeffie Lam and Wynna Wong
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