Hong Kong issues highest rain warning as Storm Podul passes city
Fishermen secured their boats across storm-battered southern Taiwan on August 13 as Typhoon Podul intensified.
HONG KONG – The Hong Kong Observatory issued its most severe rainstorm warning on Aug 14, as Tropical Storm Podul passed to the north-east of the city.
The weather agency released the black rainstorm alert at 7.50am local time. Up to 200mm of rain was recorded since midnight in parts of the city. Schools were shut and residents were advised to shelter in place while the highest rain warning is in force.
Following the warning, the Hong Kong judiciary announced the adjournment of
ex-media mogul Jimmy Lai's national security trial for the morning.
The pause comes as the closely watched trial entered its final arguments. Lai, the 77-year-old founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, is facing charges of conspiring to collude with foreign forces under the national security law and a colonial-era sedition charge. He has been detained since December 2020.
Proceedings will remain suspended for the rest of the day if the warning signal remains at 11am.
It's the fifth time in 2025 that the observatory has had to raise the black rainstorm signal. That's a record and it extends the city's recent run of exceptionally wet conditions. Last week, Hong Kong was drenched by the highest daily August rainfall total since records began in 1884. BLOOMBERG
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