Hong Kong Shuts Down After Disastrous Rainfall On Record

Hong Kong, hit by a monster typhoon last week, faces another day of inconveniences due to heavy rain from a separate storm. Schools will be closed today, according to the administration, which warned that terrible weather conditions would remain until at least midday.

It urged firms to prioritise employee safety and implement flexible work arrangements. Due to safety concerns, the city's primary bus operators have ceased service.

At 11:05 p.m. local time, the observatory issued the highest 'black' rainstorm warning, which remained effective as of 5:57 a.m. Typhoon Haikui's leftovers are to blame for the rain.

The observatory headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui recorded 158.1 mm (6 inches) of rain between 11 p.m. Thursday and midnight, the most since 1884, according to the observatory.

Bus Services And Metros Suspended

In Chai Wan, Hong Kong, under the heavy rain of 150 mm in one hour, the streets have turned into raging rivers! pic.twitter.com/nZrG1t8cQG

¡ª Jim yang (@yangyubin1998) September 7, 2023

Footage that went viral on social media showed some roadways turning into rivers and torrential rain pouring down the escalators of an underground metro station. The videos could not be authenticated right away.

MTR Corp. announced the suspension of a portion of its Kwun Tong Line due to floods at Wong Tai Sin station.

Both KMB and City Bus announced that their bus services had been suspended, with City Bus stating that it would examine weather and road conditions before restarting operations.

Stock Market Is Also Closed

The stock market may also be closed for part of the day. According to local stock exchange rules, morning trading will be delayed if the black rainstorm warning is still effective at 7 a.m. If the warning is not lifted by 9 a.m., the morning session of the stock market will be cancelled.

Credit: Reuters

A black rainstorm warning implies that more than 70 millimetres of rain have fallen in an hour and are expected to continue.

Because of the topography of Hong Kong Island¡ªroads and buildings carved into steep slopes¡ªthe city is subject to flooding and landslides caused by excessive rain, which often falls during the summer months.

Landslide Alert Issued

According to the observatory, more than 600 mm of rain fell in eastern Hong Kong island sections in the previous 24 hours. A landslide alert has also been issued. Saola departs Hong Kong with destructive winds.

According to Hong Kong officials, at least 83 people were transported to hospitals in the previous 24 hours due to the severe weather. The rain has also caused landslides, which have closed some roadways.

Credit: AP

Due to Super Typhoon Saola, the city was closed on Friday and Saturday last week. The typhoon, the strongest to pound the city since Mangkhut in 2018, uprooted trees and caused traffic jams.

The observatory issued its highest storm warning only six times in the previous four decades.

The storms are the most recent examples of severe weather seen around the world this summer.

Flooding killed dozens of people in northern China, including Beijing, in late July and August.

Southern China Is Also Suffering From The Heavy Rain

Heavy rain has also soaked southern China, with Shenzhen, just across the border from Hong Kong, reporting the wettest conditions since records began in 1952.

Hundreds of flights have been cancelled in Guangdong province, and local authorities have issued flash flood warnings and recommended residents in low-lying areas consider evacuations.

Credit: AP

Millions of people dwell in southern China's densely populated coastal districts. The Chinese meteorological service predicts that heavy rain will continue in the country's southwest on Friday and Saturday.

The latest rainstorm arrived less than a week after two typhoons, Saola and Haikui, struck southern China quickly, causing a citywide lockdown in Hong Kong. Climate change has increased the severity and frequency of tropical storms, resulting in more flash flooding and destruction.

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