Many workers stayed at home and students in various cities saw the start of their school year postponed to next week.
The Hong Kong Observatory issued a No. 10 hurricane signal, the highest warning under the city's weather system. It was the first No. 10 warning since Super Typhoon Mangkhut hit Hong Kong in 2018.The observatory said Saola — with maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometres per hour — came its closest to the financial hub at around 11pm , skirting about 30 kilometers south of the city's Tsim Sha Tsui shopping district.
It expected that winds would gradually weaken Saturday as the typhoon moves west along the coast away from Hong Kong. Dozens of trees were knocked down, and seven people were injured and sought treatment at public hospitals. Classes at all schools will remain suspended on Saturday.