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Torrential rain continued to pound Hong Kong Friday — inflicting faculties, workplaces and even the inventory alternate — to shut after an evening of flash flooding that turned streets into raging rivers that seemed higher suited to white-water rafting than metropolis residing.
Components of southern China additionally skilled drenching rains, together with the tech metropolis of Shenzhen, the place faculties and companies had been additionally closed on Friday.
Because the rains continued to fall, the Hong Kong metropolis authorities introduced at noon Friday that the “black alert” excessive climate warning would stay in impact till at the very least 6 p.m.
Earlier, it mentioned faculties can be closed all day, and solely important workers ought to report back to work. The Hong Kong Inventory Trade canceled buying and selling, together with the after-hours session, for the complete day.
Hong Kong Chief Govt John Lee mentioned he had ordered all metropolis authorities departments to answer the acute climate with “all-out efforts.”
Town on Thursday evening skilled its most intense hour rainfall since data started 140 years in the past. Hong Kong climate authorities issued a black warning, an alert that greater than 70 millimeters (2.75 inches) of rain was anticipated to fall in an hour, at 11:05 p.m. Thursday.
Greater than double that quantity got here down — the Hong Kong Observatory mentioned that 158.1 mm (6.22 inches) of rain fell at its headquarters between 11 p.m. and midnight, based on the South China Morning Publish.
In different elements of Hong Kong — Kowloon, the northeastern New Territories and Hong Kong Island — greater than 200 mm (7.87 inches) of rainfall was recorded between 6 p.m. and midnight, the paper reported.
JUST IN: Hong Kong simply recorded its heaviest hourly rainfall on report with 158.1 mm [6.2 inches] between 11 PM and midnight (HKT). Information date again to 1884 (139 years in the past). A uncommon “Black Rainstorm Warning Sign” has been issued by the HKO observatory. pic.twitter.com/KWtyWbqUmd
— Nahel Belgherze (@WxNB_) September 7, 2023
Images and video shared on social media confirmed flooded streets, inundated subway stations and swamped metropolis buses.
Water poured into the Cross-Harbor Tunnel, which connects Hong Kong Island with Kowloon, clogging up one of many metropolis’s important arteries. Rubble and water rushed down the aspect of Mount Parker close to Chai Wan, the place roads and parking garages sat underneath standing water.
Greater than 20 buses remained stranded throughout the town on Friday morning, based on the South China Morning Publish, and the town’s three fundamental bus carriers suspended service till additional discover. The metro was largely operational.
In southern China, faculties had been closed Friday in Shenzhen, Zhuhai and elements of Guangzhou and Foshan.
Authorities in Shenzhen warned folks Friday morning to not enter the central Longgang district, based on native media. Folks and companies on floor flooring of buildings within the district had been urged to evacuate.
Social media posts confirmed that flooding in a single day in Longgang had left dozens of automobiles swamped at main intersections.
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The area has been battered by two typhoons in two weeks, with Saola and Haikui wreaking havoc throughout Taiwan and southern China, though Hong Kong was not the direct path of both.
Vic Chiang and Theodora Yu contributed to this report.