Rainstorm brought about severe flooding, a bus accident, and landslides in Hong Kong. Road accident led to the death of one person, flights were delayed, and court hearings, schools, and vaccination drives were suspended briefly after the Hong Kong weather department issued the first "black rainstorm" warning alert of the year 2021 on Monday.
Black Rainstorm Weather Warning
The pounding rain caused a fatal accident in the Sheung Shui town in the north district of Hong Kong, claiming the life of the bus driver. The driver lost control of the car and crashed it into the tree because the roads were slippery after the rainfall, police said. No passenger was in the vehicle during the accident.
Heavy torrential rains lashed portions of Hong Kong, prompting landslides in many regions which brought about traffic and suspension of activities.
Hong Kong Stock Exchange made an announcement that it will stop its trading for the morning session on Monday until the highest "black rainstorm" weather warning is called off. Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) said in a statement that all its main products and derivatives markets (and also Stock Connect trading) will begin trading in the afternoon after the downgrading of the warning alert.
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Rainfall in Hong Kong
HKEX said: "Trading will start on the first half hour at least two hours following the cancellation of the Black Rainstorm Warning." In Hong Kong, a black rainstorm warning is the greatest alert of three levels of rainstorm warnings after red and amber.
The Hong Kong observatory issued the warning after over 70 millimetres of rainfall was recorded in many regions, and rainfall was beyond 150 millimetres in several districts of Hong Kong. Visuals revealed thick muddy water rushing out of hillside onto South Lantau Road close to Upper Cheung Sha Beach and flooding the roads following a landslide.
Traffic was blocked for hours prior to the halting of the water spurt. The excess rain also led to the seeping of water into houses and offices. The black rainstorm, which stayed in effect for less than three hours, was downgraded at 11.05 am to a lower level of warning of red before being substituted with the lowest level of amber.
Cancellation of the Amber Warning
The amber warning was also cancelled at 12:30 pm, reported Radio Television Hong Kong, public broadcasting service.The HKEX said assuming the black rainstorm warning continues till 12 noon, all the trading sessions would be discontinued for the day.
But trading will begin at 1:30 pm local time, following the updated forecast. Over 200 millimetres of rain lashed on portions of Lantau Island, Lamma Island and the western part of Hong Kong while other places received not less than 70 millimetres of rainfall.
At 8am on Monday, a landslide was reported in the largest Lantau Island in Hong Kong, blocking traffic. Four other landslides were reported in Cheung Chau Island, according to South China Morning Post.
Related Article: Record Rainfall Causes River Levels to Rise, Flood Risk in Northeast China
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