Hong Kong, other parts of south China grind to near standstill as powerful Typhoon Saola passes

By KANIS LEUNG
Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — Most of Hong Kong and other parts of southern China have ground to a near standstill as powerful Typhoon Saola passes westward along the coast. Many workers stayed at home on Friday and students in various cities saw the start of their school year postponed to next week. Trading on Hong Kong’s stock market was suspended and about 460 flights were canceled in the key regional business and travel hub. The Hong Kong Observatory said Saola came its closest to the city at around 11 p.m., skirting its shopping district by about 20 miles.