Heavy rain has caused widespread flooding in Hong Kong, forcing authorities to shut down the economic hub. The densely populated territory is dealing with the heaviest rain in 140 years.
The Hong Kong Observatory said it recorded 158.1 millimetres (6.2 inches) of rain in the hour between 11 pm Thursday and midnight, the highest recording since records began in 1884, Associated Press reported.
The city’s cross-harbour tunnel, a key link between Hong Kong Island to Kowloon, was also inundated with water, and landslide warnings were issued for some areas. Videos circulating on social media showed flooded streets in Hong Kong and nearby Guangdong province.
The weather bureau issued the highest “black” rainstorm warning and said the extreme conditions were expected to continue until at least noon (04:00 GMT) on Friday.
Earlier in the week, Typhoon Haikui left a trail of destruction in Taiwan before crossing the strait and making landfall in China’s Fujian province on Tuesday. The latest torrential rain is presumed to be brought by the remnant of Haikui.
