Widespread Flooding Hits Hong Kong and Southern China
Hong Kong and southern Chinese cities are grappling with severe flooding due to exceptionally heavy rainfall, resulting in schools and workplaces being closed, streets submerged, and subway stations inundated. The Hong Kong weather bureau has reported that this deluge, which commenced on Thursday, is the most substantial in nearly 140 years. Emergency services have been busy, with more than 100 individuals hospitalized, and numerous rescue operations conducted.
Images and Videos Depicting Chaos
Thursday night saw torrential rain transform Hong Kong streets into raging rivers, causing shopping centers and public transportation to be submerged. Social media videos revealed people seeking refuge on top of vehicles and other elevated structures as waters rose several meters high in some places, blocking access to subway entrances. The critical cross-harbour tunnel connecting the city’s main island with the northern Kowloon peninsula was also inundated. Additionally, the heavy rainfall triggered landslides in the mountainous regions of Hong Kong, leading to road blockages.
Weather Conditions Easing but Warnings Persist
By Friday afternoon, the intensity of the downpours had somewhat diminished, leading authorities to downgrade the rainstorm warning from “black” to “amber.” However, they cautioned that showers were expected to persist until Saturday. On Thursday, a “black” warning was issued when rainfall exceeded 70mm per hour. The Hong Kong Observatory later recorded an hourly rainfall of 158.1 millimeters, the highest in its recorded history since 1884.
Southern China Also Affected
Heavy rainfall has extended to southern China, with Shenzhen, neighboring Hong Kong, reporting its most significant showers since records began in 1952. In the broader Guangdong province, hundreds of flights were suspended, and residents in low-lying areas were advised to consider evacuations. China’s meteorological administration anticipates extreme rainfall in the country’s southwestern region on Friday and Saturday.
Climate Change’s Impact on Tropical Storms
This latest episode of intense rainfall comes shortly after two consecutive typhoons, Saola and Haikui, struck southern China, resulting in a citywide shutdown in Hong Kong. Climate change has amplified the intensity and frequency of tropical storms, leading to an escalation in flash flooding and more extensive damage.
SOURCE: Ref Image from New Straits Time
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