Hong Kong Grapples with Unprecedented Rainfall, Submerging Metro Stations and Stranding Drivers
Unprecedented rainfall wreaked havoc in Hong Kong on Friday, leading to flash flooding that submerged metro stations and left drivers stranded on waterlogged roads. In response, authorities took the precautionary measure of suspending schools and urging the public to seek safe shelter.
Images and videos circulating on social media portrayed residents wading through the murky brown floodwaters, as relentless heavy rain continued to inundate this densely populated city of 7.5 million. In certain low-lying areas, once familiar streets were transformed into surging torrents, necessitating the rescue of motorists who found themselves trapped in their vehicles.
This deluge commenced late Thursday night, with the Hong Kong Observatory recording an astounding 158 millimeters (6.2 inches) of rainfall between 11 p.m. and midnight—a record-breaking hourly rainfall since records began in 1884, as disclosed by the government in a recent press release.
Parts of the city experienced an astonishing 500 mm (19.7 inches) of rainfall in just 24 hours, according to data from the online weather platform OGimet.
This extraordinary rainfall event has undoubtedly posed significant challenges to Hong Kong, prompting emergency responses and highlighting the need for preparedness in the face of extreme weather conditions.
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