Hong Kong flooded by heaviest rainfall in nearly 140 years as black rainstorm warning issued

Record-breaking rainfall in Hong Kong has prompted widespread flooding – shutting colleges and companies and turning streets into rivers.

On Thursday evening it skilled essentially the most rainfall in an hour since information started in 1884.

The Hong Kong Observatory recorded 158.1mm (6.2 inches) of rainfall between 11pm on Thursday and midnight.

The climate bureau issued a black rainstorm warning final evening – the primary in practically two years – which stays in place till midnight on Friday.

It mentioned greater than 200mm (7.9 inches) of rainfall had been recorded on Hong Kong’s principal island, Kowloon and the northeastern a part of town’s New Territories since Thursday evening – and urged residents to remain secure.

“Heavy rain will deliver flash floods,” it warned. “Residents living in close proximity to rivers should stay alert to weather conditions and should consider evacuation” if their properties are flooded, it added.

The territory floor to a halt because the torrential rain submerged streets, buying centres and metro stations, and authorities shut colleges and requested employees to remain at residence.

Videos on social media confirmed the rain lashing down as motorists tried to drive by the severely flooded streets.

One clip confirmed metro employees wading waist deep as they tried to stem the water circulation gushing down the escalators and stairs into the station.

Images additionally confirmed a car in a deep gap after a piece of a highway collapsed – and roads blocked by landslides.

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A authorities assertion mentioned Hong Kong chief John Lee was “very concerned” in regards to the extreme flooding, and had instructed all departments to “respond with all-out efforts”.

All colleges can be suspended on Friday as a result of “extreme conditions caused by extensive flooding and serious traffic disruption” it added.

The Hong Kong inventory change didn’t open for morning buying and selling on Friday and mentioned it will stay shut within the afternoon if town’s black rainstorm warning remained in place.

The climate bureau attributed the excessive rainfall to a “trough of low pressure” related to the remnants of Typhoon Haikui, which earlier this week swept by Taiwan and southern China’s Fujian province.