On Tuesday, 5 August, Hong Kong and high-tech cities located in South China’s Pearl River Delta were hit by record rainfall, causing disruptions to hospitals, schools and court closures, according to Reuters.
By 2 p.m. GMT, Hong Kong received more than 350 mm (13.8 inches) of rainfall, the highest daily total for August since 1884, according to local meteorological services. They extended the “black” rain warning until 5 p.m. Medical authorities announced that they would close clinics across the city due to flooding.
Scientists link heavy rains and waterlogged conditions to climate change, which forces thousands of people to leave their homes and leads to billions of dollars in economic losses.
The downpour followed deadly floods that occurred over the weekend in southern China. Five people reportedly died in Guangdong province as a result of the disaster, which triggered a large-scale search operation involving more than 1,300 rescuers.
As of Tuesday morning, water levels in four rivers in the province had risen to such an extent that they could overflow their banks, CCTV reported. On Monday, a tornado struck the northern region of Inner Mongolia, prompting officials in Beijing to prepare for further flooding on Tuesday.
Airports across the region reported around 20% of flights cancelled on Tuesday, according to Flightmaster. Speed restrictions were also reduced on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai Macau Bridge due to poor visibility conditions.
Hong Kong typically receives an average of 2,200 mm of rainfall per year, with more than half of that falling between June and August.
