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| Raging floodwaters swept this woman down a road in Chai Wan |
The government has said that the “extreme conditions”
affecting Hong Kong due to a record rainfall that caused widespread flooding
and disrupted public transportation will continue until at least 6pm today,
Friday.
In a statement, the government urged people to
remain indoors and stay away from low-lying areas. Employers are asked not to
require their staff to report for work, unless they are essential personnel.
The government said it will give an update on the
situation at 3pm today.
Classes throughout the city were suspended early
this morning after a record downpour was recorded between 11am and midnight
yesterday. The hourly rainfall of 158.1mm was the highest since records started
being kept 139 years ago.
The amber rainfall warning was raised at 10pm last
night, and was immediately upgraded to a black rainstorm alert after an hour.
It remains in force as of this time.
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| Raging water got into a bus that passed through heavy floods this morning |
Videos and photos shared online showed the severity
of the flooding, including the Wong Tai Sin MTR station being mostly underwater,
a woman being washed down a road in Chai Wan, and vehicles inside cross-harbour
tunnels with their entire wheels submerged.
The Hong Kong Stock Exchange was closed for the day,
and most government services were suspended, including court hearings and
social welfare assistance.
The torrential rain associated with the passing of
Typhoon Haikui caused extreme flooding across Hong Kong, causing all bus and
tram routes to be suspended and ferry services halted from around midnight until
early this morning.
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| Wong Tai Sin MTR station was flooded for the first time |
Most bus services have resumed since, but a few
routes affected by severe flooding remain suspended. Citybus said among those those
affected were buses that run through Stanley, Wong Chuk Hang and Tseung Kwan O.
MTR services were mostly back to normal at about
noon today, although trains were still running at longer intervals on the East
Rail, Kwun Tong, Tsuen Wan, Island and Tuen Ma lines.
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| Choi Hung MTR station was also submerged |
The Kwun Tong line remains closed between the Shek
Kip Mei and Choi Hung lines after Wong Tai Sin Station was flooded.
Government experts have reminded people to be
vigilant to the risk of landslides. They said seven landslide reports were
received as at 8am today, six on Hong Kong island and one in the New
Territories.
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| Floodwaters seeped into the cross-harbour tunnels |
The downpour also forced mainland authorities to
discharge water from the Shenzhen reservoir starting from midnight, prompting local
authorities to evacuate residents of six villages in the northern New
Territories that might be affected by flooding.
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| Rescue workers were at work throughout the night (Reuters photo) |
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