Rains from Typhoon Wipha batter Hong Kong as it heads for mainland China

HONG KONG – Rain pounded Hong Kong on July 20 as Typhoon Wipha skirted southwards, packing winds exceeding 167kmh, disrupting 400 flights and public transport, felling hundreds of trees, and damaging a construction site.

Just after 4pm on July 20, weather authorities lowered the typhoon signal in the Asian financial hub to 8 from

the maximum of 10

, which had been hoisted for nearly seven hours, while more than 110mm of rain fell within three hours.

Much of the rain concentrated on the northern region neighbouring the mainland, the city’s observatory said, warning of more to come.

In a statement, the government said 26 people sought treatment in public hospitals while 253 flocked to its shelters, and 471 fallen trees were reported.

In North Point near the city’s harbour, large swathes of scaffolding were swept off a residential building and onto the road.

As Wipha tracks westward across the South China Sea, it is expected to make landfall later on Sunday between Zhuhai and Zhanjiang in the southern province of Guangdong, state-run broadcaster CCTV said.

The authorities in neighbouring Macau, the world's biggest gambling hub, also downgraded the typhoon signal to 8 from 10, warning of flooding in its inner harbour area and urging residents to stay safe, public broadcaster TDM said.

Hong Kong’s airport authority said 80,000 travellers were hit by the

rescheduling of 400 flights

forced by the typhoon.

Cathay Pacific Airways cancelled all flights with Hong Kong airport between 5am and 6pm on July 20. It waived ticket change fees and arranged for rebooking.

Most public transport in Hong Kong was suspended, including ferries amid high sea swells. REUTERS