10:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, Hong Kong time: Hong Kong Observatory has raised Strong Wind Signal 3 for Hong Kong at 8:40 p.m., and has not ruled out raising Gale/Storm Signal 8 for the city by dawn Sunday. Still, Tropical Storm Pakhar is not as strong as Hato earlier this week and should pass yet further south of Hong Kong than did Hato.

At 8 p.m., Pakhar was 274 miles southeast of Hong Kong, moving west-northwest at 19 mph and had increased in intensity somewhat, 52-mph sustained winds and 63-mph gusts. Pakhar is forecast to peak at 63-mph sustained winds and 81-mph gusts at mid-morning Sunday and remains on course to pass 125 miles southwest of Hong Kong at 10 a.m. Sunday.

5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, Hong Kong time: All tropical cyclone warning signals for the Philippines have been dropped by the country’s weather authority PAGASA , while Standby Signal 1 has been issued for Hong Kong in advance of Tropical Storm Pakhar’s approach by the Hong Kong Observatory.

At 2 p.m., Pakhar was 312 miles northwest of Manila, moving west-northwest at 18 mph with 46-mph sustained winds and 58-mph gusts at center. If it remains on its current track, Pakhar is forecast to pass 122 miles southwest of Hong Kong at 9 a.m. Sunday.

HKO reports it may issue Strong Wind Signal 3 by midnight Saturday, and though Pakhar is forecast to pass well south, it did not rule out issuing Signal 8, as it did earlier this week when Typhoon Hato battered the city.

10:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 25, Hong Kong time: Tropical Storm Pakhar has made landfall over the east coast of Luzon in the northern Philippines. Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 2 remains raised for that part of the country, along with Signal 1 in areas near Manila and the northern islands, according to the country’s weather authority PAGASA.

At 8 p.m., Pakhar was 125 miles east-northeast of Manila, headed west-northwest at 13 mph with 46-mph sustained winds and 58-mph gusts at center. Pakhar, named Jolina in the Philippines, is forecast to pass 125 miles north of Manila and 144 miles north of the former Subic Bay Naval Station about midnight Friday.

Pakhar could threaten Hong Kong next, although the Joint Typhoon Warning Center projects Pakhar to pass 110 miles southwest of Hong Kong at about mid-day Sunday. No wind warning signal has been raised yet for Hong Kong.

4:45 p.m. Friday, Aug. 25, Hong Kong time: Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 2 remains raised for most of central Luzon, with Signal 1 raised for areas as far north as the Babuyan islands to parts of Manila, according to the Philippines’ weather authority PAGASA.

At 2 p.m., Tropical Storm Pakhar began curving northwest, was 159 miles east-northeast of Manila, moving northwest at 10 mph and winds at center had slightly decreased, 40-mph sustained at center and 52 mph gusts.

 

 According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Pakhar should peak at 75 mph sustained winds and 92 mph gusts early Sunday afternoon, Category 1-equivalent typhoon strength, before it rams ashore over southeastern China late Sunday afternoon.

 

 Pakhar should pass 110 miles north of the former Clark Air Base, 130 miles north of Manila and 148 miles north of the former Subic Bay Naval Station between 9 p.m. Friday and 1 a.m. Saturday as a tropical storm.

11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 25, Hong Kong time: Looks as if Hong Kong might catch a bit of a break, while Manila and the old Clark Air Base and Subic Bay Naval Station might be in for more of a rainy, gusty weekend, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

At 8 a.m., Tropical Storm Pakhar was 194 miles east of Manila, rumbling west at 15 mph with 46-mph sustained winds and 58-mph gusts at center.

If it remains on its present course, Pakhar is due to pass 51 miles north of Clark, 89 miles north of Subic and 74 miles north of Manila between 10 p.m. Friday and 1 a.m. Saturday. Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 2 remains raised for central Luzon and Signal 1 in other locales, according to the Philippines’ weather authority PAGASA.

From there, Pakhar is forecast to track northwest toward southeastern China — but probably further south of Hong Kong than when Hato hit earlier this week. JTWC projects Pakhar to pass 140 miles southwest of Hong Kong at 3 p.m. Sunday as a Category 2-equivalent typhoon.

7:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 25, Philippines time: Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 2 has been raised for Isabela, northern Aurora, Quirino, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya in central Luzon, according to the Philippines’ national weather authority PAGASA.

Tropical Storm Pakhar is forecast to pass 97 miles north of the old Clark Air Base, 134 miles north of the old Subic Bay Naval Station and 117 miles north of Manila between 8 p.m. and midnight Friday, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

Pakhar is one of the many international names given to typhoons as assigned by the Japan Meteorological Agency. It’s Laotian for a fresh water fish native to the Mekong River.

5 a.m. Friday, Aug. 25, Hong Kong time: It didn’t take long for Pakhar to be upgraded to a tropical storm overnight Thursday. Its latest Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecast track takes Pakhar over central Luzon and a bit further south of Hong Kong than previously reported.

At 2 a.m., Pakhar was 282 miles east of Manila, headed west at 12 mph with 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts at center. Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 1 has been raised for parts of central Luzon in the Philippines by the country’s weather authority PAGASA; Signal 2 could be raised later Friday into Saturday.

Pakhar is forecast to pass 97 miles north of the former Clark Air Base at 1 a.m. Saturday as a severe tropical storm, then 122 miles south-southwest of Hong Kong at 5 p.m. Sunday, peaking as a Category 1-equivalent typhoon, packing 81-mph sustained winds and 98-mph gusts as it makes landfall around 2 a.m. Monday.

12:15 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, Philippines time: A tropical cyclone formation alert was issued at 9 a.m. by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center on a disturbance some 650 miles east of Manila. JTWC projects the system to track west or west-northwest and develop gradually as it goes.

Early dynamic model guidance is somewhat split, with the GFS ensemble indicating a zig-zag walk toward southeastern China, southwest of Hong Kong and over Indochina; while the CMC ensemble shows a more northwesterly course between Luzon and Taiwan.</s>HONG KONG (Reuters) - Tropical storm Pakhar brought strong winds and heavy rain to Hong Kong and Macau on Sunday, just four days after one of the strongest typhoons on record, Hato, caused serious flooding and damage in the territories and killed at least 10 people in the gaming hub.

The two cities lowered their typhoon signal to No.3 in the early afternoon, after Pakhar brushed passed and landed in the southern Chinese city of Taishan in the morning.

Both cities issued their third-highest weather warnings, storm signal No. 8, early in the day as winds intensified and heavy rain lashed down, churning up rough seas and prompting alerts of flooding in low-lying areas.

No serious damage has been observed in Hong Kong so far. The government said it has received 13 reports of flooding and 159 reports of fallen trees.

Hong Kong’s weather observatory said in the early hours that winds occasionally reached storm force in the southern part of the territory and hurricane force on high ground on Lantau Island to the west of the city where the airport is situated.

Pakhar’s arrival comes as the cities are still reeling from Hato. While Hong Kong escaped major damage, Hato devastated Macau, the world’s largest gambling hub, killing at least 10 people, injuring 244 and exposing critical infrastructure flaws after it left the city without water and power for days.

The maximum sustained winds recorded at Cheung Chau and Chek Lap Kok were 114 and 76 kilometers per hour (71 and 47 miles per hour), respectively, in the morning, with maximum gusts at 136 and 101 kmh.

China’s Meteorological Administration maintained its yellow typhoon warning, the third-highest of four levels, as of midday Sunday and said torrential rains are expected in several southern provinces through Monday afternoon.

Airport Authority Hong Kong reported 300 flights have been canceled or delayed, and around 30 diverted to other places by noon. Hong Kong’s flagship carrier, Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd, said the storm would cause delays and cancellations to flights arriving and departing on Sunday and Monday.

Some ferries to Macau and outlying islands in Hong Kong resumed service after the typhoon signals were lowered.

In Macau, the storm will pose a major setback to clean-up efforts that saw Chinese People’s Liberation Army troops deployed to help remove mountains of stinking debris strewn across some heavily flooded districts battered by Hato.

Slideshow (8 Images)

Power has been restored in the territory but some areas still lacked water supply as of Saturday evening, the Macau Government Information Bureau said on its official website.

The government said the city still faced a severe challenge in removing huge piles of waste from the streets, with 2,600 tonnes of debris collected on Saturday alone. Shower facilities and changing rooms at four public swimming pools have been opened to accommodate residents with no water facilities.

Four Hong Kong journalists were denied entry to Macau on Saturday to cover the storms and relief effort on grounds they “posed a risk to the stability of internal security,” according to reports from the media companies they represented. The Hong Kong Journalists Association expressed “deep regret” over the incident and urged Macau to respect press freedom. Police chief Ma Io-kun told a press conference on Saturday he was not aware of the case, but said the government respects press freedom “very much”.</s>5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, Hong Kong time: All tropical cyclone warning signals for the Philippines have been dropped by the country’s weather authority PAGASA , while Standby Signal 1 has been issued for Hong Kong in advance of Tropical Storm Pakhar’s approach by the Hong Kong Observatory.

At 2 p.m., Pakhar was 312 miles northwest of Manila, moving west-northwest at 18 mph with 46-mph sustained winds and 58-mph gusts at center. If it remains on its current track, Pakhar is forecast to pass 122 miles southwest of Hong Kong at 9 a.m. Sunday.

HKO reports it may issue Strong Wind Signal 3 by midnight Saturday, and though Pakhar is forecast to pass well south, it did not rule out issuing Signal 8, as it did earlier this week when Typhoon Hato battered the city.

10:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 25, Hong Kong time: Tropical Storm Pakhar has made landfall over the east coast of Luzon in the northern Philippines. Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 2 remains raised for that part of the country, along with Signal 1 in areas near Manila and the northern islands, according to the country’s weather authority PAGASA.

At 8 p.m., Pakhar was 125 miles east-northeast of Manila, headed west-northwest at 13 mph with 46-mph sustained winds and 58-mph gusts at center. Pakhar, named Jolina in the Philippines, is forecast to pass 125 miles north of Manila and 144 miles north of the former Subic Bay Naval Station about midnight Friday.

Pakhar could threaten Hong Kong next, although the Joint Typhoon Warning Center projects Pakhar to pass 110 miles southwest of Hong Kong at about mid-day Sunday. No wind warning signal has been raised yet for Hong Kong.

4:45 p.m. Friday, Aug. 25, Hong Kong time: Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 2 remains raised for most of central Luzon, with Signal 1 raised for areas as far north as the Babuyan islands to parts of Manila, according to the Philippines’ weather authority PAGASA.

At 2 p.m., Tropical Storm Pakhar began curving northwest, was 159 miles east-northeast of Manila, moving northwest at 10 mph and winds at center had slightly decreased, 40-mph sustained at center and 52 mph gusts.

 

 According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Pakhar should peak at 75 mph sustained winds and 92 mph gusts early Sunday afternoon, Category 1-equivalent typhoon strength, before it rams ashore over southeastern China late Sunday afternoon.

 

 Pakhar should pass 110 miles north of the former Clark Air Base, 130 miles north of Manila and 148 miles north of the former Subic Bay Naval Station between 9 p.m. Friday and 1 a.m. Saturday as a tropical storm.

11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 25, Hong Kong time: Looks as if Hong Kong might catch a bit of a break, while Manila and the old Clark Air Base and Subic Bay Naval Station might be in for more of a rainy, gusty weekend, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

At 8 a.m., Tropical Storm Pakhar was 194 miles east of Manila, rumbling west at 15 mph with 46-mph sustained winds and 58-mph gusts at center.

If it remains on its present course, Pakhar is due to pass 51 miles north of Clark, 89 miles north of Subic and 74 miles north of Manila between 10 p.m. Friday and 1 a.m. Saturday. Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 2 remains raised for central Luzon and Signal 1 in other locales, according to the Philippines’ weather authority PAGASA.

From there, Pakhar is forecast to track northwest toward southeastern China — but probably further south of Hong Kong than when Hato hit earlier this week. JTWC projects Pakhar to pass 140 miles southwest of Hong Kong at 3 p.m. Sunday as a Category 2-equivalent typhoon.

7:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 25, Philippines time: Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 2 has been raised for Isabela, northern Aurora, Quirino, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya in central Luzon, according to the Philippines’ national weather authority PAGASA.

Tropical Storm Pakhar is forecast to pass 97 miles north of the old Clark Air Base, 134 miles north of the old Subic Bay Naval Station and 117 miles north of Manila between 8 p.m. and midnight Friday, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

Pakhar is one of the many international names given to typhoons as assigned by the Japan Meteorological Agency. It’s Laotian for a fresh water fish native to the Mekong River.

5 a.m. Friday, Aug. 25, Hong Kong time: It didn’t take long for Pakhar to be upgraded to a tropical storm overnight Thursday. Its latest Joint Typhoon Warning Center forecast track takes Pakhar over central Luzon and a bit further south of Hong Kong than previously reported.

At 2 a.m., Pakhar was 282 miles east of Manila, headed west at 12 mph with 40-mph sustained winds and 52-mph gusts at center. Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal 1 has been raised for parts of central Luzon in the Philippines by the country’s weather authority PAGASA; Signal 2 could be raised later Friday into Saturday.

Pakhar is forecast to pass 97 miles north of the former Clark Air Base at 1 a.m. Saturday as a severe tropical storm, then 122 miles south-southwest of Hong Kong at 5 p.m. Sunday, peaking as a Category 1-equivalent typhoon, packing 81-mph sustained winds and 98-mph gusts as it makes landfall around 2 a.m. Monday.

12:15 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, Philippines time: A tropical cyclone formation alert was issued at 9 a.m. by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center on a disturbance some 650 miles east of Manila. JTWC projects the system to track west or west-northwest and develop gradually as it goes.

Early dynamic model guidance is somewhat split, with the GFS ensemble indicating a zig-zag walk toward southeastern China, southwest of Hong Kong and over Indochina; while the CMC ensemble shows a more northwesterly course between Luzon and Taiwan.</s>HONG KONG (Reuters) – Tropical storm Pakhar brought strong winds and heavy rain to Hong Kong and Macau on Sunday, just four days after one of the strongest typhoons on record, Hato, caused serious flooding and damage in the territories and killed at least 10 people in the gaming hub.</s>related media assets (image or videos) available. Click to see the gallery.

4 related media assets (image or videos) available. Click to see the gallery.

Tropical storm Pakhar brought strong winds and heavy rain to Hong Kong and Macau on Sunday, just four days after one of the strongest typhoons on record, Hato, caused serious flooding and damage in the territories and killed at least 10 people in the gaming hub.

HONG KONG: Tropical storm Pakhar brought strong winds and heavy rain to Hong Kong and Macau on Sunday, just four days after one of the strongest typhoons on record, Hato, caused serious flooding and damage in the territories and killed at least 10 people in the gaming hub.

Both cities issued their third-highest weather warnings, storm signal No. 8, early on Sunday as winds intensified and heavy rain lashed down, churning up rough seas and prompting alerts of serious flooding in low-lying areas.

Hong Kong's weather observatory said winds occasionally reached storm force in the southern part of the territory and hurricane force on high ground on Lantau Island to the west of the city where the airport is situated.

Pakhar's arrival comes as the cities are still reeling from Hato. While Hong Kong escaped major damage, Hato devastated Macau, the world's largest gambling hub, killing at least 10 people, injuring 244 and exposing critical infrastructure flaws after it left the city without water and power for days.

"Pakhar will land to the west of the Pearl River Estuary in the next few hours," said the Hong Kong Observatory, the territory's weather forecasting agency.

The maximum sustained winds recorded at Ngong Ping, Cheung Chau and Chek Lap Kok were 140, 114 and 76 kilometers per hour (87, 71 and 47 miles per hour) respectively, with maximum gusts 173, 136 and 101 kmh.

Hong Kong's flagship carrier, Cathay Pacific, said the storm would cause delays and cancellations to flights arriving and departing on Sunday and Monday. Local media said 140 flights had been canceled as of 6 a.m. local time (2200 GMT on Sunday).

Other transport services including ferries to Macau and outlying islands in Hong Kong were suspended.

In Macau, the storm will pose a major setback to clean-up efforts that saw Chinese People's Liberation Army troops deployed to help remove mountains of stinking debris strewn across some heavily flooded districts battered by Hato.

Power has been restored in the territory but some areas still lacked water supply as of Saturday evening, the Macau Government Information Bureau said on its official website.

The government said the city still faced a severe challenge in removing huge piles of waste from the streets, with 2,600 tonnes of debris collected on Saturday alone. Shower facilities and changing rooms at four public swimming pools have been opened to accommodate residents with no water facilities.

Four Hong Kong journalists were denied entry to Macau on Saturday to cover the storms and relief effort on grounds they "posed a risk to the stability of internal security," according to reports from the media companies they represented. The Hong Kong Journalists Association expressed "deep regret" over the incident and urged Macau to respect press freedom. Police chief Ma Io-kun told a press conference on Saturday he was not aware of the case, but said the government respects press freedom "very much."</s>Supermarket staff sell goods outside a supermarket during power outages after Typhoon Hato hit in Macau August 24, 2017. — Reuters picHONG KONG, Aug 27 — Tropical storm Pakhar brought strong winds and heavy rain to Hong Kong and Macau today, just four days after one of the strongest typhoons on record, Hato, caused serious flooding and damage in the territories and killed at least 10 people in the gaming hub.

Both cities issued their third-highest weather warnings, storm signal No. 8, early today as winds intensified and heavy rain lashed down, churning up rough seas and prompting alerts of serious flooding in low-lying areas.

Hong Kong’s weather observatory said winds occasionally reached storm force in the southern part of the territory and hurricane force on high ground on Lantau Island to the west of the city where the airport is situated.

Pakhar’s arrival comes as the cities are still reeling from Hato. While Hong Kong escaped major damage, Hato devastated Macau, the world’s largest gambling hub, killing at least 10 people, injuring 244 and exposing critical infrastructure flaws after it left the city without water and power for days.

“Pakhar will land to the west of the Pearl River Estuary in the next few hours,” said the Hong Kong Observatory, the territory’s weather forecasting agency.

The maximum sustained winds recorded at Ngong Ping, Cheung Chau and Chek Lap Kok were 140, 114 and 76 kmh (87, 71 and 47 miles per hour) respectively, with maximum gusts 173, 136 and 101 kmh.

Hong Kong’s flagship carrier, Cathay Pacific, said the storm would cause delays and cancellations to flights arriving and departing today and tomorrow. Local media said 140 flights had been cancelled as of 6am local time (2200 GMT today).

Other transport services including ferries to Macau and outlying islands in Hong Kong were suspended.

In Macau, the storm will pose a major setback to clean-up efforts that saw Chinese People’s Liberation Army troops deployed to help remove mountains of stinking debris strewn across some heavily flooded districts battered by Hato.

Power has been restored in the territory but some areas still lacked water supply as of yesterday evening, the Macau Government Information Bureau said on its official website.

The government said the city still faced a severe challenge in removing huge piles of waste from the streets, with 2,600 tonnes of debris collected yesterday alone. Shower facilities and changing rooms at four public swimming pools have been opened to accommodate residents with no water facilities.

Four Hong Kong journalists were denied entry to Macau yesterday to cover the storms and relief effort on grounds they “posed a risk to the stability of internal security,” according to reports from the media companies they represented.

The Hong Kong Journalists Association expressed “deep regret” over the incident and urged Macau to respect press freedom. Police chief Ma Io-kun told a press conference yesterday he was not aware of the case, but said the government respects press freedom “very much.” — Reuters</s>HONG KONG: A powerful storm lashed Hong Kong and Macau on Sunday (Aug 27), just days after a punishing typhoon swept through southern China and claimed at least 18 lives.

Both cities raised a Typhoon 8 signal, the third-highest warning level, early Sunday morning as severe tropical storm "Pakhar" made landfall in the region, where emergency workers are still battling to repair Wednesday's damage.

Hong Kong's flagship carrier Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon cancelled 50 flights on Sunday morning and are expecting more delays and cancellations.

All ferry services in Hong Kong were suspended.

The Typhoon 8 storm warning level would typically shut down Hong Kong's stock market, schools and businesses.

Packing winds of up to 130kmh Pakhar - named after a freshwater fish in the lower Mekong river -- smashed into southern China as worst-hit Macau was still picking up the pieces after Typhoon Hato.

Hato ripped through the gambling hub Wednesday, plunging casinos into darkness and causing destructive floods.

The official death toll in Macau reached 10, as the enclave's government faces recriminations over its lack of preparation.

A further eight people are known to have died from Typhoon Hato in the neighbouring Chinese mainland province of Guangdong.

Hong Kong and Macau both raised the most severe Typhoon 10 warning last week, only the third time a storm of this power had pounded Hong Kong in the past 20 years.

In Macau, it was the strongest typhoon in 53 years, according to the city government.

Pakhar, which also brought occasional heavy rain, is expected to persist for most of Sunday morning, moving toward the Pearl River Estuary, the Hong Kong Observatory said.

Summer is typhoon season for Hong Kong, which can experience storms of such severity that the entire city shuts down.</s>Hong Kong and Macau raised a Typhoon 8 signal, the third-highest warning level, early Sunday morning as severe tropical storm "Pakhar" made landfall, days after Typhoon Hato claimed at least 18 lives (AFP Photo/DALE DE LA REY)

Hong Kong (AFP) - A powerful storm lashed Hong Kong and Macau on Sunday, just days after a punishing typhoon swept through the region and claimed at least 18 lives.

Both cities raised a Typhoon 8 signal -- the third-highest warning level -- early Sunday as severe tropical storm "Pakhar" made landfall in the region, where emergency workers were still battling to repair Wednesday's damage.

A total of 206 flights were cancelled and another 471 delayed because of the latest storm, while 44 flights had to divert, Hong Kong's Airport Authority said. Cathay Pacific, the city's flagship, said "cancellations, diversions and severe delays" were expected.

All ferry services in Hong Kong were suspended until the storm warning was lowered in both cities in the early afternoon. Dozens of trees weakened by Wednesday's typhoon were brought down by the latest storm.

No deaths were reported on Sunday but Hong Kong hospital officials said 62 people were injured.

A Chinese cargo ship was sinking east of Hong Kong Sunday morning but all 11 crew members were rescued, the government flying service said.

Pakhar brought winds of up to 130 kilometres (80 miles) per hour to Hong Kong. Sunday is a holiday but on a working day the Typhoon 8 signal would have meant the shutdown of the stock market, schools and businesses.

In Macau authorities issued fresh flooding warnings as shops that were battered Wednesday remained closed on Sunday morning. Traffic lights stayed blacked out with power yet to return to parts of the city.

The water supply has been restored, a Macau government statement said Sunday, but buildings with damaged pumps still lack water.

"This is tough but there is nothing we can do," said shopowner Leung Chin-pang, who has been without water since the first storm hit.

Pakhar -- named after a freshwater fish in the lower Mekong river -- arrived as worst-hit Macau was still picking up the pieces following Typhoon Hato, the city's strongest typhoon in 53 years according to its government.

Hato, which triggered the most severe Typhoon 10 warning, ripped through the gambling hub Wednesday, plunging casinos into darkness and causing destructive floods.

The official death toll in Macau reached 10, as the government of the semi-autonomous Chinese city faced recriminations over its lack of preparedness.

A further eight people are known to have died from Typhoon Hato in the neighbouring mainland Chinese province of Guangdong, which Pakhar also reached mid-morning Sunday.

Dozens of visitors had returned to the main tourist attraction of Senado Square in Macau Sunday as the clean-up progressed.

Streets appeared cleaner after local residents of all ages and around 1,000 troops from the Chinese People's Liberation Army Macau garrison worked to clear piles of debris blocking the streets.

Four Hong Kong journalists covering the impact of the typhoon were barred entry into Macau Saturday on the grounds that they "threatened the stability of internal security", according to the Hong Kong Journalists Association.

The group in a statement expressed "deep regret" over the incident and urged Macau's authorities to respect press freedom.

Summer is typhoon season for the region including Hong Kong, which can experience storms of such severity that the entire city shuts down.</s>Hong Kong: A powerful storm lashed Hong Kong and Macau on Sunday, just days after a punishing typhoon swept through southern China and claimed at least 18 lives.

Both cities raised a Typhoon 8 signal — the third-highest warning level — early Sunday morning as severe tropical storm "Pakhar" made landfall in the region, where emergency workers were still battling to repair Wednesday`s damage.

Around 300 flights were cancelled or delayed Sunday, a spokesperson from Hong Kong`s Airport Authority said. Cathay Pacific, the city`s flagship carrier, said "cancellations and significant delays" were expected to continue into Monday.

All ferry services in Hong Kong were suspended. Dozens of trees weakened by Wednesday`s typhoon were brought down in the latest storm.

Pakhar brought winds of up to 130 kilometres per hour to Hong Kong. The Typhoon 8 storm warning level would typically shut down Hong Kong`s stock market, schools and businesses.

In Macau, authorities issue fresh flooding alerts as shops that were battered Wednesday remained closed on Sunday morning, and traffic lights stayed blacked out after Hato wiped out power in the city.

"This is tough, but there is nothing we can do," said Leung Chin-pang, the owner of a maintenance shop, who has been left without water supply since the first storm hit.

Pakhar — named after a freshwater fish in the lower Mekong river — smashed into southern China as worst-hit Macau was still picking up the pieces after Typhoon Hato, the city`s strongest typhoon in 53 years according to the city government.

Hato, which triggered the most severe Typhoon 10 warning, had ripped through the gambling hub Wednesday, plunging casinos into darkness and causing destructive floods.

The official death toll in Macau reached 10, as the enclave`s government faces recriminations over its lack of preparation.

Dozens of visitors had returned to the main tourist attraction of Senado Square in Macau Sunday.

Streets appeared cleaner after local residents of all ages and around 1,000 troops from the People`s Liberation Army (PLA) Macau garrison worked to clear piles of debris blocking the streets.

Four Hong Kong journalists covering the impact of the typhoon were barred entry into Macau Saturday on the ground that they "threatened the stability of internal security", according to the Hong Kong Journalists Association.

The group expressed "deep regret" over the incident and urged Macau`s authorities to respect press freedom in a statement Saturday.

A further eight people are known to have died from Typhoon Hato in the Chinese province of Guangdong, which Pakhar also reached mid-morning Sunday.

Summer is typhoon season for the region including Hong Kong, which can experience storms of such severity that the entire city shuts down.

Both Hong Kong and Macau are expected to lower the typhoon warning signal to the second lowest level in the early afternoon of Sunday, the cities` weather forecast agencies said.</s>HONG KONG - A powerful storm lashed Hong Kong and Macau on Sunday, just days after a punishing typhoon swept through the region and claimed at least 18 lives. Both cities raised a Typhoon 8 signal -- the third-highest warning level -- early Sunday as severe tropical storm "Pakhar" made landfall in the region, where emergency workers were still battling to repair Wednesday's damage.

A total of 206 flights were cancelled and another 471 delayed because of the latest storm, while 44 flights had to divert, Hong Kong's Airport Authority said. Cathay Pacific, the city's flagship, said "cancellations, diversions and severe delays" were expected. All ferry services in Hong Kong were suspended until the storm warning was lowered in both cities in the early afternoon. A total of 236 trees weakened by Wednesday's typhoon were brought down by the latest storm in Hong Kong and there were 16 flooding reports.

No deaths were reported on Sunday but Hong Kong hospital officials said 62 people were injured. In Macau eight people were slightly hurt, a government spokesperson said. A Chinese cargo ship was sinking east of Hong Kong Sunday morning but all 11 crew members were rescued.

Pakhar brought winds of up to 130 kilometres (80 miles) per hour to Hong Kong. Sunday is a holiday but on a working day the Typhoon 8 signal would have meant the shutdown of the stock market, schools and businesses.
Tropical Storm Pakhar hits Hong Kong and Macau with sustained winds of 100 km/h (62 mph) and heavy rain, four days after deadly Typhoon Hato passed through the area.