I do understand the principle of precaution, although it is a matter of degree. Pushing the principle to the absurd, no one should be driving or flying.

My criticism is not for closing flights at 6pm on Sunday as the future was uncertain. But for announcing a day in advance that they will cease operations till noon Monday. In the past CX and HKIA had plaid it by the ear. If planes could safely takeoff or land, they would operate even with high winds. But this time, and probably because of the chaos of last year, they not only took preventive measure before the typhoon but also closed operation for 12 hours after. They could have restarted their flights without any danger (there is strictly zero wind) from the early morning. But they took the decision not even to try that. So no planes yet (it is 10:30am here). That would not have happened in the past years or decades, this is a new attitude in HK.
I got to my office early. Yes there were a few branches on the road as usual with storms. But why the officials kept the signal 8 (which effectively mean that workers do not go to work for the day, or at least morning) escapes me. There has never been a typhoon that simply turned and came back. But maybe, that was risk that they took into account in their principle of precaution.