- Title: Typhoon Haima shuts down central Hong Kong
- Date: 21st October 2016
- Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (OCTOBER 21, 2016) (REUTERS) HONG KONG FINANCIAL DISTRICT IN STORM/AMBULANCE PASSING THROUGH WOMAN WALKING IN STORM CAR VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WAITING UNDER FLIGHT SCHEDULE BOARD VARIOUS OF FLIGHT SCHEDULE BOARD WITH 'CANCELLED' OR 'DELAYED' IN RED BOARD READING (English): "Hong Kong International Airport advises that local airport operations are currently disrupted." (SOUNDBITE) (English) INDIAN VISITOR, MAJ. VIPIN NAIR, SAYING: "As soon as I arrived, I saw this board full of cancelled flights and I have no idea what to do now. I am totally confused, to be very honest. If my flight also appears as cancelled, I may again try to go back to the same hotel, but I saw a lot people try to check in so I don't know whether it is available or not. And for the next flight, I have no idea, because so many flights are cancelled, all of them are declaring to again book some of these flights. And I may be stuck for couple of days which is not a good scenario because I have to go back to my family as well. So it is kind of scary. I am not too sure what to do now, I am a bit confused." HONG KONG FINANCIAL DISTRICT IN STORM TREE WAVING IN STORM VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF HONG KONG STOCK EXCHANGE BOARD READING (English) "Closed" HONG KONG STOCK EXCHANGE LOGO WITH SIGNAL 8 BOARD (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) MAINLAND TOURIST FROM SHANGHAI, TERRY ZHAO, SAYING: "I think the influence of the typhoon may increase tonight or tomorrow. It will not only affect our transport but also shopping, as we can see that many shops have already shut. And the most important thing we care about will be the flight delay, as we are scheduled to go back tomorrow but under these circumstances, it seems that our flight will possibly be delayed." VARIOUS OF SHOPS AND BANKS SHUT DOWN ON THE STREET (SOUNDBITE) (English) FRENCH HONG KONG RESIDENT, 83, MR. HEME, SAYING: "It's very weird that you are asking me, because I just sent an email to my friend in China, in Chengdu and I told him it reminds me of the Second World War. Because when you are in the 'Second World War' there was no car, no people in the street, no noise, only silence and it's the same, when normally it's millions of people are moving around. It's very eerie atmosphere and it did not disturb my life, but it reminds me of my youth during the war, that's all." VARIOUS OF WHITE STICKERS ON GLASS DOOR TO PROTECT AGAINST TYPHOON WHITE CROSS AND 'SIGNAL 8' BOARD
- Embargoed: 5th November 2016 07:47
- Keywords: Hong Kong typhoon Haima flights cancelled rain storm
- Location: HONG KONG, CHINA
- City: HONG KONG, CHINA
- Country: Hong Kong
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Wind/Hurricane/Typhoons/Tornadoes
- Reuters ID: LVA00154Y65OL
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Hundreds of flights, ferries and buses were delayed or even cancelled in Hong Kong as Typhoon Haima approached on Friday (October 21).
The typhoon made landfall nearing Hong Kong at 12:40 p.m. (0440 GMT) in Shanwei city of south China's Guangdong province, with winds gusts up to 162 km/h.
Frustrating passengers were seen at the airport trying to rearrange their flight plans.
"As soon as I arrived, I saw this board full of cancelled flights and I have no idea what to do now. I am totally confused, to be honest. If my flight also appears as cancelled, I may again try to go back to the same hotel, but I saw many people try to check in so I don't know whether it is available or not. And for the next flight, I have no idea, because so many flights are cancelled, all of them are declaring to again book some of these flights. And I may be stuck for couple of days which is not a good scenario because I have to go back to my family as well. So it is kind of scary. I am not too sure what to do now, I am a bit confused," said Indian visitor Maj. Vipin Nair.
Another visitor, Terry Zhao from the mainland, said that Haima would ruin his shopping plan and he was worried about his flight on Saturday (October 22).
"I think the influence of the typhoon may increase tonight or tomorrow. It will not only affect our transport but also shopping, as we can see that many shops have already shut. And the most important thing we care about will be the flight delay, as we are scheduled to go back tomorrow but under these circumstances, it seems that our flight will possibly be delayed," Zhao said.
Hong Kong resident Heme, 83, said the typhoon tranquilized the busy streets and reminded him of the World War Two.
"It's very weird that you are asking me, because I just sent an email to my friend in China, in Chengdu and I told him it reminds me of the Second World War. Because when you are in the 'Second World War' there was no car, no people in the street, no noise, only silence and it's the same, when normally it's millions of people are moving around. It's very eerie atmosphere and it did not disturb my life, but it reminds me of my youth during the war, that's all," said Heme, from France.
The typhoon, when hitting the Philippines, had already killed at least 12 people and inundated vast tracts of rice and corn fields, officials in Manila said on Friday. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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