Hong Kong  - Dozens of flights were cancelled Tuesday as Typhoon Hagupit, which killed at least five people in the Philippines, bore down on Hong Kong.

Schools and kindergartens were closed Tuesday afternoon, and ferry services to outlying islands were suspended as the fast-moving storm closed in on the high-rise city of 6.9 million.

Weathermen forecast the typhoon would brush past Hong Kong Tuesday evening before making landfall in southern China. A high storm signal was expected to be hoisted by 6 pm (1000 GMT) Tuesday.

The Hong Kong Airport Authority said 47 flights had been cancelled Tuesday afternoon as high winds and squally rain lashed the former British colony.

Typhoon Hagupit, whose name means "lashing" in Filipino language Tagalog, raged across the northern Philippines Monday before heading out across the South China Sea.

Hong Kong was hit directly by a typhoon three weeks ago, which caused the second highest storm signal - signal nine - to be hoisted. The storm caused little damage, however. (dpa)