Hong Kong Suddenly Paralysed: Schools Shut and Businesses Halted

Hong Kong was suddenly paralysed on Thursday as schools were forced to close and some businesses halted operations after the observatory raised the highest rainstorm warning signal at 12:55 local time. Residents were urged to evacuate and take shelter, remaining on high alert for severe flooding. “Heavy rain exceeding 70 mm in an hour is likely to continue,” the observatory stated on its website. It noted this was the second time a black warning had been hoisted this year, with the first occurring just over a week ago on 8 June. The financial hub, along with much of southern China, has been drenched by persistent rainfall in recent days. The extreme weather is attributed to an active southwest monsoon and a lingering trough of low pressure. “Strong gusts may continue to affect Hong Kong, with wind speeds of around 80 km/h recorded in the Tai O district in the southwest of the city,” the observatory explained. The announcement came ahead of the Dragon Boat Festival on Friday, which grants residents a three-day weekend and was expected to see significant travel. Meanwhile, authorities across the border in Shenzhen, mainland China, raised a red alert for the approaching rain and urged residents to avoid low-lying areas, waterlogged zones, and other hazardous locations, warning of increased risks of mountain torrents, landslides, and other disasters.