Hong Kong issues warning to citizens over typhoon

Hong Kong: Hong Kong warned residents to stay indoors and halted public transport on Monday as Typhoon Vicente skirted the island, packing winds in excess of 90 kilometres an hour.

Officials said the tropical storm was moving at 20 kilometres an hour toward the southern Chinese coast and would pass 100 kilometres southwest of Hong Kong overnight.

At least seven people were injured in the extreme weather as authorities raised the typhoon warning to eight, two below the most severe level.

Dozens of trees fell and pieces of buildings were seen crashing into downtown streets as commuters made their way home from work. Many were forced to walk through the wind and rain due to shortages of public transport.

Ferry, bus and train services were suspended or ran at reduced capacity, the port was closed and 11 passenger flights to the regional aviation hub were cancelled as the storm approached. More than 120 flights were delayed.

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School classes and hospital outpatient clinics were suspended until further notice.

"In the past few hours, Vicente slightly intensified and in general moved northwestward, edging closer to Hong Kong," the Hong Kong Observatory said in a statement.

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"If local winds further strengthen, the Observatory may consider the necessity of issuing higher tropical cyclone signals."