Hong Kong lowers black rainstorm warning to amber after hoisting highest-level warning for 5th time this year
The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) hoisted the black rainstorm warning at 7.50am on Thursday, as the T1 storm signal was in force.
The black rainstorm signal – the city's highest-level rainstorm warning – means that heavy rain has fallen or is expected to fall citywide, exceeding 70 millimetres of rainfall in an hour.
It was the fifth time the black rainstorm signal went up since July 29, more than two weeks ago. It was downgraded to the red signal at 11.10am.
The Observatory then replaced the red signal with the amber signal at 12.20pm but warned that there was still flooding in some low-lying and poorly drained areas and that heavy rain may still cause flash floods.
The Central and Western District was particularly hard hit on Thursday, with videos and photos circulating online showing flooding on Water Street in Sai Ying Pun and the vicinity of the University of Hong Kong.
The Observatory issued a landslip warning for the Southern District, citing particularly heavy rain in the area. It called on people and drivers to pay attention to landslides and stay away from slopes.
The Airport Authority said it cancelled five flights scheduled before 2pm, with 145 flights delayed. It also said that the airport would maintain normal operations despite the inclement weather, though apron operations were suspended at one point due to an airport lighting warning signal.
Meanwhile, the Education Bureau announced that all classes had been cancelled for the day.
Services resume
Employees returned to work, and public services gradually resumed on Thursday afternoon, after the signal was downgraded.
Hospital services, including specialist outpatient clinics, allied health and other day services would resume within two hours after the black rainstorm warning signal was lowered, with general outpatient clinics resuming service at 2pm, according to the Hospital Authority's statement on Thursday.
Immigration services would resume within two hours, according to a statement issued just before noon on Thursday. Services, including childcare centres and after-school care programmes run by the Social Welfare Department, remained open.
Transport Department services would also resume within two hours following the cancellation of the black rainstorm warning.
Meanwhile, the Judiciary announced that all court and tribunal hearings on Thursday, including a hearing for closing arguments in the national security trial of media tycoon Jimmy Lai, would be postponed.
The tropical cyclone's outer rainbands will continue to bring showers and squally thunderstorms to the city, the HKO said. Showers are still expected on Friday, with more sunshine on Saturday.
Podul is forecast to dissipate gradually over central China on Friday, according to the Observatory, with showers easing off the coast of Guangdong in the middle of next week.
This year's fourth black rainstorm signal was hoisted on Tuesday last week, with the Observatory recording 358.8 millimetres of rainfall at its Tsim Sha Tsui headquarters – the highest daily rainfall in August since records began in 1884.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
HKFP
7 hours ago
- HKFP
Tropical Storm Podul makes landfall in China after raking Taiwan as typhoon
Typhoon Podul weakened to a severe tropical storm when it roared ashore in southeastern China early Thursday, state media said, after carving a path across Taiwan, shutting down businesses, grounding flights and knocking out power to thousands of homes. Podul made its second landfall in Fujian province's Zhangpu County, Chinese state news agency Xinhua said, citing the provincial meteorological observatory, reporting maximum sustained winds of 108 kilometres (67 miles) per hour. On Wednesday, wind gusts of up to 178 kilometres per hour were recorded shortly before the typhoon slammed into Taiwan's Taitung County, the country's Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. One person is missing after he went fishing and was swept away, and 112 have been injured, disaster officials said. More than 8,000 people were evacuated from their homes. As Podul swept across storm-battered central and southern areas of Taiwan, it toppled dozens of trees and triggered flooding. Streets in the port city of Kaohsiung were littered with fallen branches. Embed from Getty Images 'Kaohsiung, Tainan and Chiayi will become major rainfall hotspots tonight, with increasing rain also expected in Penghu and Kinmen,' CWA Administrator Lu Kuo-chen told a briefing attended by President Lai Ching-te. Flights scrapped, schools shut All domestic flights across the island of 23 million people were cancelled on Wednesday, along with dozens of international journeys. More than 63,000 households were still without power. High-speed rail services on the west coast were reduced, while train services in the southeast were cancelled. Many ferry services were also suspended, and businesses and schools across the south closed. More than 31,500 soldiers were ready to assist in rescue and relief efforts, disaster officials said. The CWA said mountain areas in Kaohsiung and Tainan could be hit with a cumulative 400-600 millimetres (16-24 inches) of rain from Tuesday to Thursday. In mainland China, some schools in Guangdong paused classes while train and ferry services have been temporarily halted, China state broadcaster CCTV said. Embed from Getty Images Parts of other provinces such as Hunan and Jiangxi in central China will also see heavy to torrential rain, CCTV added. Intense weather Podul comes after weeks of intense weather in central and southern Taiwan, which is accustomed to frequent tropical storms from July to October. Typhoon Danas, which hit Taiwan in early July, killed two people and injured hundreds as the storm dumped more than 500 mm of rain across the south over a weekend. That was followed by torrential rain from July 28 to August 4 that left at least five people dead, with some areas recording more than Taiwan's total rainfall of 2.1 metres in all of 2024. Natural disasters are common across China, particularly in the summer, when some regions experience heavy rain while others bake in searing heat. The death toll from flash floods and mudslides in northwest China last week has risen to 13, state media said on Saturday. Heavy rain in Beijing in the north also killed 44 people last month, with the capital's rural suburbs hardest hit and another eight people killed in a landslide in nearby Hebei province. Scientists have shown that human-driven climate change is causing more intense weather patterns that can make destructive floods more likely. Global warming, driven largely by the burning of fossil fuels, is not just about rising temperatures, but the knock-on effect of all the extra heat in the atmosphere and seas. Warmer air can hold more water vapour, and warmer oceans mean greater evaporation, resulting in more intense downpours and storms.
HKFP
7 hours ago
- HKFP
Hong Kong lowers black rainstorm warning to amber after hoisting highest-level warning for 5th time this year
Hong Kong has lowered its fifth black rainstorm warning of the year as Tropical Cyclone Podul weakened. The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) hoisted the black rainstorm warning at 7.50am on Thursday, as the T1 storm signal was in force. The black rainstorm signal – the city's highest-level rainstorm warning – means that heavy rain has fallen or is expected to fall citywide, exceeding 70 millimetres of rainfall in an hour. It was the fifth time the black rainstorm signal went up since July 29, more than two weeks ago. It was downgraded to the red signal at 11.10am. The Observatory then replaced the red signal with the amber signal at 12.20pm but warned that there was still flooding in some low-lying and poorly drained areas and that heavy rain may still cause flash floods. The Central and Western District was particularly hard hit on Thursday, with videos and photos circulating online showing flooding on Water Street in Sai Ying Pun and the vicinity of the University of Hong Kong. The Observatory issued a landslip warning for the Southern District, citing particularly heavy rain in the area. It called on people and drivers to pay attention to landslides and stay away from slopes. The Airport Authority said it cancelled five flights scheduled before 2pm, with 145 flights delayed. It also said that the airport would maintain normal operations despite the inclement weather, though apron operations were suspended at one point due to an airport lighting warning signal. Meanwhile, the Education Bureau announced that all classes had been cancelled for the day. Services resume Employees returned to work, and public services gradually resumed on Thursday afternoon, after the signal was downgraded. Hospital services, including specialist outpatient clinics, allied health and other day services would resume within two hours after the black rainstorm warning signal was lowered, with general outpatient clinics resuming service at 2pm, according to the Hospital Authority's statement on Thursday. Immigration services would resume within two hours, according to a statement issued just before noon on Thursday. Services, including childcare centres and after-school care programmes run by the Social Welfare Department, remained open. Transport Department services would also resume within two hours following the cancellation of the black rainstorm warning. Meanwhile, the Judiciary announced that all court and tribunal hearings on Thursday, including a hearing for closing arguments in the national security trial of media tycoon Jimmy Lai, would be postponed. The tropical cyclone's outer rainbands will continue to bring showers and squally thunderstorms to the city, the HKO said. Showers are still expected on Friday, with more sunshine on Saturday. Podul is forecast to dissipate gradually over central China on Friday, according to the Observatory, with showers easing off the coast of Guangdong in the middle of next week. This year's fourth black rainstorm signal was hoisted on Tuesday last week, with the Observatory recording 358.8 millimetres of rainfall at its Tsim Sha Tsui headquarters – the highest daily rainfall in August since records began in 1884.
RTHK
11 hours ago
- RTHK
Heavy rain expected to persist: HK Observatory
Heavy rain expected to persist: HK Observatory Authorities have deployed water-pumping machines across Hong Kong. Photo courtesy of the Drainage Services Department The Hong Kong Observatory has cautioned against flooding triggered by torrential downpours as it lowered the Black Rainstorm Warning signal on Thursday. The Red Rainstorm Warning Signal was issued at 11.10am to replace the city's fifth black alert of the year, which lasted for more than three hours. The signal was further lowered to amber at 12.10am. Flooding swept through parts of the city when the black rain signal was in force, with online footage showing water gushing up to the road from a gutter on Water Street in Sai Ying Pun. Meanwhile, the water level on Pok Fu Lam Road was as high as 200 millimetres at one point. The Drainage Services Department said there were six water pumping robots in use, including three newly acquired machines. Five cases of flooding were received as of 10.30am. The Airport Authority said of the flights scheduled before 2pm, five had been cancelled and another 145 delayed. It also said operations on the apron were temporarily suspended when the airport-specific Red Lightning Warning was in force. The Standby Signal No. 1, meanwhile, was cancelled at 12.20pm as Tropical Storm Podul moves further away from the territory. _____________________________ Last updated: 2025-08-14 HKT 12:20
