On Friday, torrential rain deluged Hong Kong, causing severe flooding across the densely populated city, burying streets, retail malls, and metro stations, while officials closed schools and advised employees to stay at home.
The Chinese special administrative region experienced the highest hourly rainfall in 140 years.
Between 11 p.m. HKT on Thursday and midnight on Friday (1500 to 1600 GMT on Thursday), the Hong Kong Observatory recorded 158.1 millimetres (6.2 inches) of rain.
The weather office issued the strongest black rainstorm warning, claiming that more than 200 mm of rain had fallen on Hong Kong’s main island, Kowloon, and the city’s northeastern New Territories since Thursday night.
The remnant of Typhoon Haikui’s trough of low pressure has brought torrential rain to the coast of Guangdong since Thursday, according to the weather bureau. The extreme weather is predicted to linger until at least midday on Friday.
City leader John Lee expressed his concern about the severe flooding in most areas of the territory and directed all departments to respond with all-out efforts.
Social media videos showed streets turning into raging rivers, while one picture showed water flowing down an escalator into a flooded metro station.
The city’s cross-harbor tunnel, one of the main arteries connecting Hong Kong Island to Kowloon, was also flooded, and photographs showed a wet shopping mall in the Chai Wan neighborhood.
According to Hong Kong’s MTR Corp, which operates the city’s train network, at least one line has been closed and others are operating at delayed intervals.
The government urged enterprises to follow the customary work procedures for the strong wind signal 8, which effectively shuts down the city with offices and stores closed.
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