Howling winds and high seas lashed Hong Kong and surrounding areas on Thursday as Typhoon Imbudo, one of the most destructive storms seen in East Asia in many years, plowed into the south China coast.

A spokesman for the Hong Kong observatory said Typhoon Imbudo had been as close as 280 kilometres (173 miles) from Hong Kong and was now heading northwest at about 25 kilometres per hour toward South China's Guangdong Province.

It was expected to make landfall at Xuwen on Leizhou peninsula in southern China.

Guangdong meteorological Bureau spokesman Huang Zhong said Force 12 winds -- the strongest under the mainland's weather system -- were expected.

Eleven people were injured mainly from falling tree limbs and debris, but no other major damage was reported as of early morning.

Sixteen mainland sailors who were stranded in raging high seas off the coast of Hong Kong during the storm were rescued by government flying service early Thursday after their container vessel suffered a loss of power.

Most transport services and businesses close late on Wednesday when Hong Kong raised its typhoon warning alert to Signal No. 8, the third highest level, as the storm neared and forecasters said it was expected to be lifted by around 9 a.m. on Thursday.

SOME FLIGHTS CANCELED

Hong Kong, the bustling city of nearly seven million people virtually shuts down when No. 8 is hoisted. Government offices and schools close along with most businesses and many transport services are suspended.

The airport remained open, though the territory's largest airline Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. canceled some flights and a number of others were delayed.

Many workers left their offices early on Wednesday and crowded grocery stores to stock up on food, water and other supplies. The Observatory has warned people to secure their homes and stay indoors.

Fears of stormy weather also cut short a two-day visit to Hong Kong by British Prime Minister Tony Blair who returned to Britain on Wednesday, a day earlier than scheduled.

Most businesses in neighboring Macau also shut after the city hoisted its Signal No. 8 at 6.30 p.m. Nine of the enclave's 11 casinos were closed and all of its ferry links with Hong Kong suspended.

Imbudo, which means "funnel" in Filipino, tore through the Philippines on Tuesday, killing five people and destroying crops. It was the most powerful storm to hit the country since 1998.

Six or seven typhoons pass near Hong Kong each year, but direct hits are rare. In 2001, one person died when Typhoon Utor tore through the territory.

The deadliest in recent decades was Typhoon Wanda in 1962, which killed 130 people, left 53 missing and sank or wrecked nearly 1,300 small ships.

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