BREAKING: 1 dead after Hong Kong battered by record rainfall, severe flooding – reports
Hong Kong Free Press
One person has died after Hong Kong was hit by record rainfall on Thursday night, local media have reported. The downpours caused widespread flooding and continued to paralyse much of the city throughout Friday.
Local media reported that a man was found in the sea near Shun Tak Centre. He was sent to hospital but later died.
The Hong Kong Observatory hoisted the Black rainstorm signal at 11 pm on Thursday, as images of flooded malls, car parks, streets and metro stations emerged. Hourly rainfall of 158.1 millimetres was recorded by the Observatory in the hour after the warning was raised, a record high.
Speaking at a cross-departmental government press conference on Friday afternoon, Chief Secretary Eric Chan said the “extreme conditions” announcement would remain in place until at least midnight.
It marked the first time the government had made the extreme conditions announcement, and there was some confusion regarding what it meant. The Labour Department issued a statement detailing work arrangements under extreme conditions around 7.30 am, some two hours after the announcement was made.
On Friday, Chan clarified that it was equivalent to the T8 storm signal warning, during which residents are urged to shelter in place, and are not expected to go to work.
The government would make a further announcement later this evening on whether the arrangements would be extended.
Lee Lap-shun, the acting director of the Hong Kong Observatory, said the city recorded over 600 millimetres of rainfall over the past 24 hours, equivalent to a quarter of the average annual rainfall.
The city had received 60 reports of flooding, said acting director of Drainage Services Chui Si-kay. Forty of them had been dearth with, while the department was still handling 13 reports.
“The reason for the flooding was that the rainfall exceeded the capacity of the drains,” Chui said, adding that debris and tree branches that had flowed into drains had caused blockage.
Chui also said that the Shenzhen authorities’ discharge of floodwaters at midnight did not cause flooding in Hong Kong. The floods in the northern New Territories was caused by heavy rain in the area, he added.
Chief Secretary Chris Tang said police were notified 45 minutes in advance that Shenzhen authorities would discharge waters from a reservoir.
Angela Lee, the Commissioner for Transport, said the Transport Department was in close communication with public transport operators. Apart from Shek Kip Mei and Choi Hung, where MTR station services had been suspended, trains were continuing to stop at other stations.
Bus companies were inspecting the road conditions and providing services accordingly. Lee said she believed most bus services could be resumed tomorrow, although this would take more time in places such as Chai Wan, southern Hong Kong Island and the Peak due to repair works.
A total of 20 reports landslides were received, authorities said.
This is a developing story – please refresh for updates…
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