Heavy rains unleash floods in Hong Kong
Heavy rains unleashed flooding and landslides early today in Hong Kong, shutting down roads and air traffic throughout the territory, officials said.
Rescuers were searching for two people believed trapped after a roadside store collapsed in torrential rains in the New Territories suburb, authorities said.
“The heavy rainfall has loosened the mud. There’s a chance of further landslides. It makes the operation more difficult,” fire commander Tam Yiu-kei said.
Flooding disrupted traffic at Hong Kong International Airport, with a road to the airport covered in muddy water. Several cars were trapped on the road, Hong Kong Cable TV footage showed.
More than 150 flights were delayed, and one inbound flight was cancelled, authorities said.
The storm, fuelled by a trough of low pressure over the South China Sea, caused almost 40 landslides and 125 floods across the territory, government spokeswoman Suzanne Lee said.
Nearly 12 inches of rain fell Saturday morning, according to the Hong Kong Observatory, which issued rainstorm and landslide warnings.
Hong Kong’s rainy season usually takes place between April and September.
