Hong Kong checks out damage left by Typhoon Nesat

Sep 29, 2011, 12:01 GMT

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Hong Kong (dpa) - Hong Kong on Thursday began assessing the damage left by Typhoon Nesat, which battered the city with gale-force winds and heavy rain.

The typhoon, which left at least 18 people dead and widespread damage in the Philippines this week, came within 350 kilometres of Hong Kong on Thursday, prompting the Hong Kong Observatory to issue a number eight storm alert.

The warning is the third-highest, and orders the closure of schools, ferry services and public transport, courts, the stock market, and many businesses.

At one point gale forces winds were gusting at 100 kilometres an hour, ripping up trees, scaffolding and shops signs.

By 7 pm (GMT 1100), the typhoon was almost 500 kilometres from Hong Kong.

During the height of the bad weather, two people were injured when scaffolding collapsed onto a taxi, and a man was taken to hospital after being hit by a tree.

Around 50 residents had to be evacuated after a cargo barge broke free from its moorings and slammed into the seawall within metres of their apartment building.