Heaviest Rain in 140 Years Causes Severe Flooding in Hong Kong
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Hong Kong experienced its most substantial rainfall in 140 years, resulting in extensive flooding in the densely populated and mountainous Chinese region.
On Friday, authorities closed schools and urged workers to stay home due to the extreme conditions. Streets, shopping centers, and metro stations were submerged, with even the crucial cross-harbour tunnel connecting Hong Kong Island to Kowloon inundated. Landslide warnings were also issued for specific areas.
The Hong Kong Observatory, the city's weather agency, reported an hourly rainfall of 158.1 millimeters at its headquarters in the hour leading up to midnight, the highest on record since 1884. The observatory issued a warning about flash floods and advised residents living near rivers to remain vigilant and consider evacuation if their homes were flooded.
Chief Executive John Lee expressed deep concern about the severe flooding and instructed all departments to respond with "all-out efforts." The weather bureau issued the highest "black" rainstorm warning and anticipated the extreme conditions to persist until at least noon.
The Hong Kong stock exchange remained closed for morning trading on Friday, with the possibility of staying shut in the afternoon if the black rainstorm warning continued.
This torrential rainfall was attributed to a "trough of low pressure" linked to the remnants of Typhoon Haikui, which had previously affected Taiwan and southern China's Fujian province.
Although Hong Kong did not experience a direct hit from the recent typhoons in southern China, experts point to climate change as a factor in intensifying tropical storms, resulting in increased rainfall, stronger winds, flash floods, and coastal damage.