Typhoon Prapiroon lashed Hong Kong International Airport with strong winds and heavy rain forcing it to close Thursday morning. Two European flights heading to Hong Kong were diverted Shanghai Pudong International Airport, the first time flights heading for Hong Kong landed in Shanghai.

These two European flights were BA025 from UK and AF188 from Paris. Although some passengers did not have Chinese visas, they were well treated and welcomed. All of the passengers received smooth entry services and had their journey rearranged with the help of Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

According to the China Meteorological Administration, Typhoon Prapiroon made landfall on the coastal area between Yangxi County and Dianbai County in western Guangdong Province, not too far from Hong Kong, at 7:20 p.m. on Thursday. With a speed of 33 meters per second, the wind power reached 12 degrees on the Beaufort Scale near its eye.

The typhoon will move toward inland area of Guangdong within 12 hours at a speed of 15 to 20 kilometers per hour, and is forecast to enter Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, just west of Guangdong province today.

(CRIENGLISH.com August 4, 2006)