Thousands of angry passengers remained stranded at Hong Kong airport Friday even though Typhoon Prapiroon was moving away from the southern Chinese territory.
While the storm was churning 510 kilometers (317 miles) to the west of territory and continued to weaken after making landfall in southern China, the international airport was still in chaos.
Hong Kong Airport Authority said by 8:00 pm (1200 GMT) at least 2,300 passengers were still stranded in what an airline executive said the worst disruption since the airport opened in 1998.
By 8.00 am on Friday, only eight flights had left the city and 14 arrived after 70 percent of the more than 800 flights scheduled on Thursday had been cancelled, delayed or diverted due to the storm.
A spokeswoman for the authority said more flights could be delayed or cancelled Friday as most flights are heavily booked during this peak travel season.
She warned travellers to check their flights before going to the airport.
On Thursday, Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific sent local residents home with an offer of 500 Hong Kong dollars (64 US) each but international travellers were forced to scramble for scarce hotel rooms at the airport.
According to government figures, winds from the storm uprooted more than 700 trees while 20 cargo containers were tipped over at the city's massive shipping terminal.
Some beaches remained closed on Friday although most ferry services had resumed.
