2023-09-08 05:00:37
Hong Kong city was hit on Friday with the worst rainfall on record since records began in 1884. The rains caused flooding and transport disruptions, less than a week following a typhoon struck.
The Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen, bordering Hong Kong, has been affected since Thursday by torrential rains, the heaviest ever recorded since 1952, according to state media.
The region has seen extreme weather and record high temperatures this summer, events that scientists say are exacerbated by climate change.
The Hong Kong Observatory, the city’s meteorological agency, reported rainfall of 158.1 millimeters at its headquarters between 11 p.m. and midnight local time. No injuries were reported immediately.
The authorities announced the closure of schools ‘due to the extreme conditions’, as well as certain customs services at the border between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. This metropolis has 17.7 million inhabitants and is the headquarters of many technology companies.
Submerged metro station
Trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange was suspended for the day due to weather. On the other hand, that of Shenzhen had opened lower on Friday morning.
According to Hong Kong authorities, Shenzhen is preparing to release water from its reservoirs, which might lead to flooding in parts of northern Hong Kong territory.
The Hong Kong metro operator has announced that it will partially suspend services on one of its lines following a station flooded. Other stations are also affected.
On several roads, cars and buses were half-submerged. According to the Hong Kong observatory, the torrential rains were caused by the ‘low pressure trough associated with the rest of Haikui’.
Typhoon Haikui swept through Taiwan earlier this week, injuring around 100 people, uprooting trees and damaging roads, before heading into southern China, downgraded to a storm.
Southern China was hit last weekend by two successive typhoons, Saola and Haikui.
/ATS
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