Special Reports: "Chanchu" approaches, over 180,000 people evacuated

    HONG KONG, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Typhoon "Chanchu" was spinning away from Hong Kong toward the mainland's southeast coast on Wednesday night, said the city's observatory that still hoisting a warning for the tropical cyclone.

    The typhoon, the strongest ever to hit China's southern coast in May, was 270 kilometers east of Hong Kong at 8 PM (GMT 1200) on Wednesday, said an statement issued by the Hong Kong Observatory.

    The typhoon, which left 41 people killed in the Philippines on Sunday, bypassed Hong Kong on its way moving northeast toward the mainland's southeastern coast in a speed of 25 km an hour.

    Having expected a front contact with Typhoon "Chanchu", the Hong Kong Observatory issued warnings against the storms two days ago and upgraded it to a higher rate of No. 3 on Tuesday night.

    The warning has disrupted traffic in Hong Kong on Wednesday with several ferry routes suspending service and air flight canceled.

    Except constant light drizzling and gusts of winds, the weather of Hong Kong was relatively calm on Wednesday.

    The observatory, however, hoisted the No. 3 warning signal for fear of the wind might pack up speed to 41 to 62 km per hour. Enditem