Schools and businesses closed while hundreds of flights were canceled in Hong Kong and other parts of southern China as Typhoon Saola swept close to the coast, bringing strong winds and heavy rain in what could be the region's strongest storm in five years.
Hong Kong and China's neighbouring provinces cancelled hundreds of flights on Friday and shut businesses and schools as the super typhoon - packing winds of more than 200 kilometres per hour (125 miles per hour) - edged closer, forcing some 900,000 people to leave areas at risk in Guangdong and Fujian provinces.
But as southern China's coastal areas braced for the storm's arrival, Saola was downgraded before dawn on Saturday, after the typhoon passed Hong Kong without the much-feared direct hit on the financial hub, and then weakened.
Chinese authorities said Saola had made landfall in Guangdong's Zhuhai city with winds slowing to about 160km/h (99mph) and was expected to weaken further as it moved along China's southern coastline.
