HONG KONG – Hong Kong issued its highest storm warning in five years Friday as Typhoon Nuri brought hurricane-force winds and heavy rains, halting trade on the financial markets and shutting down most of the city.

Flights were delayed, schools and most offices closed and bus and ferry services suspended, as meteorologists warned that the southern Chinese territory could take a direct hit from the storm.

The Hong Kong Observatory issued the level-nine storm signal for the first time since 2003, signifying winds would intensify, and warned people not to venture outdoors. It said it may raise signal 10 later Friday.

“Nuri will be rather close to Hong Kong this afternoon and tonight with a chance of a direct hit,” a spokesman for the observatory said. “It may be necessary to issue higher signals this afternoon.”

The level-10 signal is the observatory’s highest storm warning, indicating hurricane-force winds with sustained speeds of at least 118 kilometres an hour, and gusts of more than 220 kilometres per hour.

The top signal has not been issued since 1999 when Typhoon York hit the city, killing three people.

The observatory recorded hurricane-force winds of up to 120 kilometres per hour and gusts of 150 kilometres per hour, and warned of “very rough seas.”

The South China Morning Post said mainland authorities had ordered the evacuation of 250,000 people from coastal areas in southern Guangdong province.

By 4:00pm (0800 GMT) Typhoon Nuri was centred about 20 kilometres east of central Hong Kong and was moving towards the eastern New Territories at about 14 kilometres per hour.

The Observatory said there may be a brief lull as the eye of the storm passed over the territory, but this would be followed by a “sudden resumption of violent winds from a different direction.” It urged people to stay indoors and keep away from windows.

August is Hong Kong’s hottest month and typhoons can often force the entire city to close down, although they rarely cause much damage as the city’s structures are designed to withstand their colossal force.

Two people were hit by falling scaffolding on Friday afternoon and taken to hospital, authorities said. Eight other people suffered minor injuries earlier in the day and there were reports of one landslide and three collapsed walls.

Courts and financial markets were all closed, and the Hong Kong Airport Authority said more than 300 flights had been cancelled, delayed or redirected as of 2:00 pm.

Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific and its sister company Dragonair announced that all flights would be cancelled for the rest of Friday.

The Airport Authority said planes were still leaving the territory, but some visitors were left stranded after their flights were cancelled.

“The airlines should have broadcast the latest typhoon news in the airport and made arrangements for us to stay somewhere. It’s the first time I’ve come to Hong Kong, and now I have no idea what to do here,” one woman told local broadcaster Cable News TV.

Organisers of the Olympic equestrian events staged in the city breathed a sigh of relief, as the competition ended late Thursday with the show-jumping final.

“We are fortunate that the competition finished before Typhoon Nuri hit Hong Kong,” a spokeswoman for the Equestrian Company, which organised the competition, told AFP.

But some competitors and horses due to fly out after the end of the competition were left stranded.

The British and Australian teams said some of their riders had their flights cancelled.

A Danish team spokeswoman said most of the riders had left for Europe early Friday but three dressage horses and their grooms were stuck after their flights were cancelled.

Seven people were killed when Nuri slammed into the northern Philippines on Wednesday, packing maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometres an hour and gusts of up to 170 kilometres per hour.

Nuri is the name of a blue-crowned parakeet in Malaysia, according to the Observatory.

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