HONG KONG: Hong Kong escaped major damage as tropical storm Goni skimmed past Tuesday midnight. Ten people suffered minor injuries in the storm.

Eight males and two females aged between five and 46 were treated at public hospitals' emergency departments.

By yesterday afternoon, all but one of them had been discharged. The only one who remained hospitalized, a man was in stable condition.

The Home Affairs Department reported that 153 people sought refuge in the department's 25 temporary shelters.

There were no reports of flooding, landslides or fallen trees, though the Drainage Services Department issued a flood watch for Sheung Wan Tuesday night.

Public transport resumed normal services before the morning rush hour. Some residents of outlying islands failed to catch the last ferry home as service was suspended soon after NO 8 signal went up Tuesday night.

Ferry services from Hong Kong to Macao were also halted.

As for the air traffic, four flights, including one passenger departure and three arrivals, were cancelled, while another five departures and 12 arrivals were delayed.

The Hong Kong Observatory cancelled all cyclone signals at 4 pm yesterday as the tropical storm slowly moved west, skirting the coastal areas of western Guangdong.

The NO 8 signal issued at 9:40 pm Tuesday was replaced by a NO 3 strong wind signal six hours later.

Macao also hoisted a NO 8 signal at 7 pm Tuesday.

Severe tropical storm Goni left showers and few squally thunderstorms as it moved away from Hong Kong. The Secondary Six admission procedure proceeded as scheduled.

The Hong Kong Observatory predicted the weather will remain showery in the following days.

Goni was the second tropical storm of this year and proved much milder that Molave which generated a No 9 signal last month.

(HK Edition 08/06/2009 page1)