WATCH: Typhoon Hato Triggers Heavy Flooding in Hong Kong, Halts Stock Trading

UPDATE: 4:45 a.m. EDT — At least three people, including a 45-year-old mainland Chinese tourist, died in Macau and two went missing after typhoon Hato lashed through the South China Sea on Wednesday. Earlier, four people were said to have gone missing in Fai Chi Kei, Macau; however, later two people were rescued, South China Morning Post reported. Macau also faced blackout due to power supply cable failure in the neighboring city of Zhuhai. The power supply is slowly being restored, the Macau Daily Times reported.

Original Story

Typhoon Hato that made landfall in China on Wednesday whipped through Hong Kong causing heavy floods and suspension of trade. The city observatory downgraded the powerful typhoon to number 8 at 2:10 p.m. local time (2:10 a.m. EDT) hours after the city issued the highest storm warning in five years. The typhoon made its landfall over Zhuhai city in southern China, according to Bloomberg.

The Hong Kong Observatory asked the stock exchange to halt trade for the day. Last time the city did this was in October when Typhoon Haima triggered a shutdown in schools and suspension of flights. Trading is likely to resume on Thursday.

Hato was packing maximum sustained winds of 165km (103 miles) per hour with gusts almost up to 192kph (119 mph). It was moving toward mainland China’s Pearl River Delta, according to the Guardian.

Hato is a Japanese word that means "pigeon." As the storm approached the city overnight, government and business organizations, apart from the local people, braced up for the powerful typhoon. “Tides are currently running about 0.5 meters above normal,” the observatory said in its 6.45 a.m. local time (6:45 p.m. EDT Tuesday) storm update.

“The high tide, occurring before noon and the storm surge induced by Hato may cause a rise in sea levels of about 1 meter or more above normal tide levels. There could be serious flooding in some low-lying areas,” the observatory said, the South China Morning Post reported.

Hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed into the evening due to the storm. However, some flights were able to land at the Hong Kong International Airport before the typhoon approached.

Train services were also canceled and fishing boats returned to the harbor after the storm warning was issued. Fishermen, fish farm workers, and their families were evacuated from the coast, Chinese news agency Xinhua reported. Over 4,000 fish farmers and their families returned to the shore on Tuesday in preparation for the arrival of the typhoon. Waves up to 10 meters (33ft) high have been expected in the South China Sea, according to the State Oceanic Administration.

Traffic was said to be light as people couldn’t go to work. A Hong Kong-based trader at RBC Investment Management Co., Clement Cheng, told Bloomberg he managed to go to work by car at 7:40 a.m. local time (7:40 p.m. EDT) and noticed his office was empty, and only he and his analyst were able to make to work. "I needed to get into the office to manage some regional orders," said Cheng. "It was super windy in Hong Kong. I could feel my apartment move a bit this morning."

As of 11 a.m. local time (11 p.m. EDT Tuesday), 34 people sought medical treatment at public hospitals, and the government also set up 26 temporary shelters where 279 people sought refuge. There were reports of numerous fallen trees, according to Bloomberg.