The Observatory on Saturday said the No 8 signal would remain in force until 4 pm at the earliest, and it urged the public to remain alert even though winds are gradually weakening as Typhoon Saola moves away from Hong Kong.

Gale force winds are still affecting many parts of the territory, though the storm itself – which hit Hong Kong as a super typhoon, has now weakened into a regular typhoon.

The Observatory warned that Hong Kong remains very much in the storm’s grip – as a storm surge will see the water level at Tai O and Tsim Bei Tsui rising to around 3 metres above chart datum at around noon.

Most public transport services remain suspended. The MTR is offering limited services, and services between University and Fanling stations on the East Rail line were disrupted for a time because of fallen trees on the tracks.

There is no school for the day, and court hearings originally scheduled for Saturday have been postponed.

Meanwhile, authorities received 123 reports of fallen trees and 18 cases of flooding, while 63 people have sought treatment at public hospitals for injuries sustained during the storm. The Home Affairs Department said over 500 people had moved into temporary shelters across the city.

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Last updated: 2023-09-02 HKT 11:50