Hong Kong buys 3 more HK$1 million ‘water-pumping dragon' machines
The Drainage Services Department said on Tuesday that its machines had been deployed for 500 hours since the start of this year's rainy season.
The new devices will add to the department's four bought since April and another two acquired earlier.
'The machines have proven to be effective and shown positive results, so we will be purchasing more 'water-pumping dragon' machines to tackle the challenges arising from extreme weather events,' said Yvonne Lo Chau-ling, chief engineer from the department's mainland north division.
The department said the three new machines were expected to arrive this week from mainland China's Fujian province.
Lo said the 'water-pumping dragons' were deployed 10 times and drained flooded areas such as a car park in Tseung Kwan O, Queen Mary Hospital and Tai Po MTR station during a record-breaking rainstorm earlier this month.
They pump water through a tube measuring about 30cm (one foot) in diameter, which has a filter to sieve out debris, passing through the robot and into the nearest storm drain.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Storm Podul: Hong Kong issues black rainstorm signal, warns of flooding
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. Hong Kong's weather forecaster has issued a black rain warning signal as Tropical Storm Podul skirts the city, with residents being warned of flooding and education authorities cancelling classes of all-day schools. The Hong Kong Observatory raised the signal at 7.50am on Thursday and said it would remain in force at least until 11am. The No 1 typhoon warning signal, meanwhile, is still in effect. 'There is an exceptionally severe rainstorm in Central and Western districts, and severe rainstorm in Chek Lap Kok of Islands district, Kwai Tsing and Tuen Mun districts. It may cause serious flooding,' the Observatory said, adding hourly rainfall was expected to exceed or had exceeded 100mm. Flooding sweeps through Pok Fu Lam Road. Photo: Facebook/ Leo Yeung Flooding swept through the Western district, with some residents spotted knee-deep in water on Connaught Road West.
South China Morning Post
5 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Typhoon Podul: Hong Kong cancels classes after red rainstorm warning, T1 still in force
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. Hong Kong education authorities have cancelled morning and whole-day school classes on Thursday after the Observatory issued a red rainstorm warning. The weather forecaster issued the warning at 6.35am, meaning that heavy rain has fallen or is expected to fall generally over Hong Kong, exceeding 50mm in an hour, and is likely to continue. 'There is severe rainstorm in Southern District. It may cause serious flooding,' the Observatory said, adding hourly rainfall is expected to exceed or has exceeded 100mm. The Education Bureau announced the cancellation of morning classes and whole-day classes, saying students do not have to attend school. But it said that if the rainstorm warning is lowered to amber at or before 10.30am, afternoon school classes will proceed as usual unless advised otherwise. 'Schools should keep their premises open and implement contingency measures to look after arriving students. Parents do not need to pick up their children from schools immediately,' the bureau said in the announcement.
South China Morning Post
7 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Europe wildfires kill at least 3 and displace thousands amid heatwave
Wildfires intensified across southern Europe on Wednesday with a round-the-clock battle to protect the perimeter of Greece's third-largest city and at least three deaths reported in Spain, Turkey and Albania. Advertisement Outside the Greek port city of Patras, firefighters struggled to protect homes and agricultural facilities as flames tore through pine forests and olive groves. Tall columns of flames rose behind apartment blocks on the outskirts of the city, while dozens of vehicles were torched as flames swept through a nearby impound lot. 'Today is another very difficult day with the level of fire risk remaining very high across many parts of the country,' Fire Service spokesman Vassilis Vathrakoyiannis said. At least 15 firefighters were hospitalised or received medical attention for burns, smoke inhalation or exhaustion, he added. As water-dropping planes and helicopters swooped overhead, residents joined the effort, beating back flames with cut branches or dousing them with buckets of water. Wildfires are seen in the Epirus region of Greece on Wednesday. Image: Maxar Technologies via AFP Firefighting resources were stretched thin in many affected countries as they battled multiple outbreaks following weeks of heatwaves and temperature spikes across the Mediterranean region. On the Greek island of Chios, exhausted firefighters slept on the roadside following a night-long shift.
