Stormy weather: Pedestrians braved the blustering wind as Typhoon Imbudo approached Hong Kong at about 5pm yesterday.

All storm signals have been cancelled as Typhoon Imbudo swept past Hong Kong and made landfall at Yangjiang in Guangdong. Classes of all morning and whole-day schools are suspended today, though.

Cancellations, openings

*All afternoon and evening schools will operate as usual today.

*Classes of all kindergartens, schools for the physically and mentally handicapped children will remain suspended.

*Welfare service units of the Social Welfare Department, 

child care centres, elderly services centres and day rehabilitation units - including sheltered workshops and day activity centres - are open. 

*All courts, tribunals, court registries and offices will be closed this morning but will open this afternoon. Those who were due to attend court hearings this morning, including jurors, should do so at 2.30 this afternoon. Those who had been summoned for jury empanelment this morning are not required to attend court until further notice in writing.

*Banks were expected to have opened by around 11am.

*Hospital Authority out-patient clinics, specialist clinics, geriatric and psychiatric day hospitals will gradually resume service this morning.

*The prize-giving ceremony for the "Live Hygiene, Live Health" logo design competition scheduled for 3pm today has been cancelled.

*The professional interview for surplus teachers of aided primary schools scheduled for today at the Hong Kong Teachers' Centre at 19 Hok Yuen Street in Hung Hom has been postponed until tomorrow.

*At the Hong Kong International Airport, eight arrival and nine departure flights were delayed, 15 arrival and 21 departure flights were cancelled and two arrival flights diverted.

*The Airport Express and Tung Chung Line rail services have resumed normal operation.

Typhoon Imbudo makes landfall at Yangjiang

Strong winds are generally affecting offshore waters and high ground in Hong Kong.

The HK Observatory had hoisted the No. 8 signal at 10.40 last night. It was replaced by the No. 3 strong wind signal at 8.15am. All signals were cancelled at 12.40pm.

Typhoon Imbudo made landfall at Yangjiang around noon. At that time, the storm was centred about 310 kilometres west of Hong Kong, near 22 degrees north 111.2 degrees east. It is forecast to move inland to the northwest at about 28 kilometres per hour.

Government Flying Services' daring rescue

At about 2am, as Typhoon Imbudo was wreaking havoc, a Government Flying Services team aboard a helicopter rescued 14 crew members from a foundering container ship in Mirs Bay. Two other sailors refused to leave the ship.

At about 5.30am, a Government Flying Services helicopter finally was able to airlift the pair to safety.

Year's first typhoon did relatively little damage

The first typhoon of the season was rather uneventful. Eleven people suffered minor injuries, mostly due to falling objects.

A man was rescued after falling into the harbour outside the Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui, and taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital by ambulance.

A total of 83 cases of fallen trees had been reported as of 8.15am, 16 on Hong Kong island, 18 in Kowloon, and 49 in the New Territories.

No reports of serious flooding were received.

The Buildings Department received 27 emergency calls relating to the collapse of signboards, fallen concrete and plaster and other materials, such as drying and flower racks. Inspectors had dealt with 26 of the cases as of 8am.

There were some reports of obstructions caused by fallen trees and scaffolding at some roads.

The collapse of a scaffolding near Tin Wan Shopping Centre in Tin Wan Street had necessitated the closure of all Tin Wan Hill Road bound lanes.

The 29 temporary shelters the Home Affairs Department opened in various districts had registered 145 users as of 8am.

Police advice for road users

Police warn of traffic congestion near the Kwai Chung Container Port in the wake of the storm. They advise drivers to avoid using Tsing Kwai highway, West Kowloon Highway, Kwai Chung Road and Tsuen Wan Road.

They advise container vehicle drivers to use one of the five holding areas in Container Port Road for waiting and to display their destination cards. They should not block the roads by waiting and should follow the Police officers' instructions and listen to the radio for news of the traffic situation.

Outlook

The Observatory forecasts strong southeasterly winds, occasional gale force winds offshore and on high ground at first. Winds will moderate gradually. It will be overcast with occasional squally showers. The maximum temperature will be around 30 degrees.

It will remain showery on Friday and Saturday.