Hong Kong airport to shut for 36 hours due to Typhoon Ragasa

Hong Kong International Airport will suspend all passenger flights for 36 hours from Tuesday evening, Qantas Airways said, as the Asian financial hub prepares for one of its strongest super typhoons in years.

Hong Kong's Airport will be closed from 8 pm (1200 GMT) on September 23 to 8 am on September 25, Qantas said in a statement, adding that it would contact customers who are affected.

A spokesperson for Airport Authority Hong Kong said it is closely monitoring the developments regarding the super typhoon, named Ragasa, and has commenced preparations to deal with the storm. But it has not made an official announcement on the closure.

Hong Kong's Observatory said it would issue the lowest typhoon signal at noon on Monday, upgrading it to the second highest on Monday night between 8 pm and 10 pm.

The weather is expected to deteriorate rapidly from Tuesday and gale-force to storm-force winds will impact the densely populated city on Wednesday, with winds expected to reach hurricane force offshore and on high ground.

Across the city, residents started stockpiling daily necessities on Monday morning. Long queues formed at supermarkets where products like milk had already sold out, while vegetables were being sold for more than triple their normal price at fresh markets, according to Reuters witnesses.

Cathay Pacific Airways, the city's largest carrier, said on Sunday it was closely monitoring the potential impact of the storm and while its flights were not currently affected, that could change as the situation developed.

The Civil Aviation Department did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The Philippines suspended work and classes across Metro Manila and large parts of the country on Monday as Ragasa moved toward northern Luzon, threatening destructive winds and heavy rain.