
In pictures: summer fun on the beach of Hong Kong's Repulse Bay
Soaking up the sun as temperatures in Hong Kong hit the mid-30s in May 2002. Photo: SCMP Archives
A warning over polluted seawater leaves the beach unusually quiet in August 1994. At the time the Post reported heavy rains were blamed for flushing pollutants into Hong Kong's waters. Photo: SCMP Archives
A sunny Hong Kong Sunday in June 1994 sees beachgoers pack the foreshore to soak up the rays. Photo: SCMP Archives
A young woman gets a friend to act as her diving board as they have fun in the sea off Repulse Bay's beach in August 1987. Photo: SCMP Archives
It's standing room only as crowds cool off in the summer of 1977. Photo: SCMP Archives

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


South China Morning Post
8 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong chief executive can't treat the environment like a side dish
Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@ or filling in this Google form . Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has been soliciting public views for his fourth policy address while stressing the importance of boosting the economy, innovative development and people's livelihoods. The recent black rainstorms remind us of the urgency of building climate resilience against extreme weather. Lee must give high priority to sustainability in order to strengthen our resilience to financial, environmental and social risks – the three key pillars of sustainable development. Extreme weather events are getting more intense and frequent worldwide. According to the World Meteorological Organisation, extreme weather caused US$4.3 trillion in economic losses and over two million deaths in 50 years. To minimise economic and social risks, Lee should not treat environmental sustainability like a side dish; instead, it is the main course he needs to cook well for 7.5 million residents. Simply relying on the city's past appeal as a shopping and dining paradise won't revive our economy. The authorities must work on the unique qualities of our city, and build upon them to enable a vibrant and sustainable future.


South China Morning Post
8 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Storm Podul may move closer to Hong Kong than currently projected: forecaster
This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP's journalism by subscribing . New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. Severe Tropical Storm Podul, predicted to pass within 400km (249 miles) of Hong Kong on Thursday, may skirt the northern part of the city and be closer than currently projected, the weather forecaster has said. The Hong Kong Observatory said the city was expected to experience heavy downpours and violent storms later this week, as there would be 'obvious changes' over the coming two days. As of Tuesday morning, Podul, which means 'willow tree' in Korean, was located about 820km east-southeast of Kaohsiung in Taiwan. It was moving west or west-northwest at about 25km/h across the western North Pacific in the general direction of the vicinity of Taiwan. 'It will then edge closer to the vicinity of eastern Guangdong and southern Fujian,' it said. 'However, its landfall location and intensity remain uncertain. Associated heavy showers and squally thunderstorms will affect Guangdong in the middle and latter parts of this week.' The latest forecasts indicate that Podul is expected to strengthen into a typhoon by Wednesday and move within about 1,000km of Hong Kong.


South China Morning Post
10 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
On front line of climate change, Hong Kong must take bold steps now
I arrived in Hong Kong just four months ago, full of anticipation for a new chapter in a vibrant city. But what I didn't expect was to be greeted by a relentless series of climate extremes, each more intense than the last. On August 5, I watched from my window as the city was engulfed by a black rainstorm . It wasn't just heavy rain, it was historic. The Hong Kong Observatory recorded the highest daily rainfall for August since records began in 1884. That day marked the fourth black rain warning in just eight days, setting a record for the most top-level alerts in a single year. As a climate scientist, I knew the numbers were extraordinary. But as a resident, I experienced flooded streets, disrupted transport and a city brought to its knees by water. In July, Typhoon Wipha swept through with fierce winds and torrential rain. It was the first time the No 10 warning signal, Hong Kong's highest storm warning, had been raised since Typhoon Saola in September 2023. I remember standing in my hallway, listening to the wind howl through my house, wondering how people here have adapted to such powerful forces of nature. It was both humbling and unsettling. Just before that, June came with its record-breaking heatwave . On June 10, the temperature soared to 35.6 degrees Celsius, matching the highest ever recorded for that month. The heat was oppressive, the humidity suffocating. I found myself constantly checking the Observatory's updates, not just out of professional curiosity, but out of genuine concern for my own well-being and that of my colleagues and students. These weren't just weather events, they were climate signals, loud and clear. Experiencing them first-hand has deepened my sense of urgency. Hong Kong is not just a city of skyscrapers and harbours – it's on the front line of climate change.