(IDEX Online) - With typhoon Mangkhut smashing into Hong Kong on Sunday, the Jewellery & Gem Fair closed a day early at the AsiaWorld Expo.
Sunday was going to be the final day of the show at the location near Hong Kong airport where loose diamonds and gemstones exhibitors are located.
The finished jewelry section of the fair, located at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) is due to finish on September 18.
Many Israeli visitors brought forward their return dates, despite the high charges imposed by airlines, according to one visitor.
The warning level was raised to the highest alert of 10 on Sunday morning, with the city reeling from the force of Mangkhut with amateur videos showing buildings swaying. The city is almost entirely closed down, with hundreds of flights canceled.
Show organizers UBM said the HKCEC location was closed on Sunday morning.
"It's pretty scary," said one visitor from his hotel room where he was filming the impact of the typhoon, with scaffolding collapsing and debris flying through the air.
Rami Baron, President of the Diamond Dealers Club of Australia, said: "The feeling is the typhoon was a major distraction from the start of the show as many people canceled last minute and those buyers who did come cut their trip short leaving on the next available flight, meaning so many appointments were wiped out. Many people were concerned at being trapped here for longer.
"Added to all of that, so much time was wasted trying to rebook following the 500 canceled flights that the show really was a write-off for most."
The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) raised the storm signal to T10 Sunday morning local time, as the storm continued its destructive path from the Philippines toward mainland China.