Black storm warning paralyses Hong Kong as torrential rain triggers floods and landslides

Independent

2 days ago

Hong Kong came to a standstill on Tuesday as torrential rain pounded the city for the second time in less than six hours, triggering a rare black rainstorm warning, paralysing public services and flooding key urban districts.
The Hong Kong Observatory issued its highest-level alert at 5.50am local time, warning that more than 70mm rain was falling per hour across the territory. A similar black rain warning had been issued at 11.45pm Monday night.
The weather forecaster said that the downpour was driven by an active southwest monsoon and upper-air disturbances near the Pearl River Estuary.
By morning, Queen Mary Hospital, the city's largest, was battling severe flooding, with ankle-deep water accumulating around the main building, China Daily reported.
Emergency services had to reroute patients to the Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai while the Drainage Services Department deployed pumps to manage the inundation.
Flash floods ripped through several districts including Central, Pok Fu Lam, Tseung Kwan O, and Tai Po, turning staircases into cascading streams and major roads into rivers of mud. In Quarry Bay, torrents swept down hillsides, inundating King's Road and nearby residential areas, the South China Morning Post reported.
'Persistent rainstorm will cause serious road flooding and traffic congestion. Members of the public are advised to take shelter in a safe place,' the observatory warned.
It also issued a landslip warning, urging people to avoid steep slopes and hilly areas.
Between midnight and 8am, most Hong Kong districts recorded over 40mm of rainfall, while parts of Sai Kung and Tai Po witnessed nearly 300mm.
The flooding prompted widespread closures. Schools, courts and most public services, including immigration offices, were suspended. The Education Bureau cancelled all morning, afternoon and full-day classes.
The Department of Home Affairs opened nine temporary shelters while district councillors and emergency teams were on standby.
The Drainage Services Department reported 18 confirmed flood cases by 8am, including in Sha Tin, Lee Yue Mun, and Tolo Harbour Highway, and deployed over 180 emergency teams to inspect and respond at 240 known flood-prone locations.
A car park in flood-prone King Yin Lane, Tseung Kwan O, was submerged overnight, with water rising halfway up about 20 parked vehicles.
"Many residents tried to drive away their cars but some in vain because the engines of the cars did not work," said Christine Fong Kwok Shan, district councillor for Sai Kung.
Minibuses, ferries and buses witnessed major disruption. In Tsuen Wan, police were filmed helping push a green minibus out of rising floodwater.
KMB suspended several routes across the New Territories, while the Peak tram and Mid-Levels escalators ceased operation due to safety concerns.
The MTR network was also affected. Several station exits at Sham Shui Po, Wong Tai Sin, Tai Po Market, and Choi Hung were temporarily closed due to flooding.
A vessel sank in Yung Shue Wan on the Lamma Island and another capsized in Sai Kung's Sam Mun Zai area.
The storm on Tuesday followed a weekend of deadly flash floods in southern China, where five people died in Guangdong province. Over 1,300 rescuers were dispatched in the aftermath.
Hong Kong, Guangdong, and Macau - which issued a red rain warning - form the backbone of Chinese president Xi Jinping 's flagship Greater Bay Area initiative, aimed at fusing Hong Kong's financial firepower with Guangdong's manufacturing and technological strength.
Airports across the region faced heavy disruption, with cancellation rates around 20 per cent according to Flightmaster data. Speed limits on the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge were reduced due to poor visibility, though the Hong Kong international airport remained operational with some flight delays.
The Hong Kong Stock Exchange also continued trading, having changed its policy last year to keep open during weather disruptions.
Leung Wing Mo, former assistant director of the Hong Kong Observatory, said work arrangements during severe weather were at the discretion of individual companies.
The Labour Department reminded employers to ensure the safety of their employees, and consider remote work or early release during extreme conditions.
Hong Kong usually receives about 2,200mm of rainfall annually, with over half concentrated between June and August. This latest event has underscored the escalating risks posed by extreme weather, which meteorologists globally are increasingly linking to climate change.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the black rainstorm warning remains in effect.