HK under T9 as Typhoon Noul barrels past the city

While Tropical cyclone Noul is moving away from Hong Kong, the Gale or Storm Signal No. 9 had been in force for 6 hours.

at least 21 people were injured amid the storm with 243 reports of fallen trees and eight reports of flooding.

Noul -- the first typhoon hitting Hong Kong this year, began unleashing its full ferocity in the early hours.

Under the T9 signal, gales churned the waters along the harbourfront in Kennedy Town, with waves crashing up the shore.

As seawater drenched the roads, vehicles had to drive through with more caution.

Whipped by gusts and waves for hours, a slab of concrete was swept off the curb.

At 10:10 pm Saturday night, the city's first No. 8 Gale or Storm Signal of the year was issued before it was replaced by the Gale or Storm Signal No. 9 at 1:10 am.

But in Tsim Sha Tsui, some citizens still ventured out, despite the danger and reminders from the Observatory.

This man said the gusts weren't that strong so he could still jog along.

Also hit hard was flood-prone Heng Fa Chuen with not just hermit crabs being washed ashore but also precarious sights at construction sites.

Even at a sheltered location, our TVB camera gear weighing 40 pounds rattled amid the howling gusts.

In Mong Kok, weaker visibility too amid the rain.

Multiple districts, including Sai Kung, reported fallen trees during the storm.