Update | Hong Kong cancels storm signals after 2015's first black rainstorm shuts down city services
Torrential downpours on Tuesday triggered Hong Kong's first black rainstorm signal of the year, disrupted air traffic and forced schools, courts and government clinics to close.
Torrential downpours yesterday triggered Hong Kong's first black rainstorm signal of the year, disrupted air traffic and forced schools, courts and government clinics to close.
More than 100mm of rain fell in some areas and 490 flights were affected between 10am and 6pm as the city endured another soaking following a week of storms that saw the cancellation of the Cheung Chau Bun Scrambling Competition.
The black rainstorm warning - the highest of three storm signals - was in place for one hour and five minutes until 11.30am.
An Airport Authority spokesman said five incoming and 12 outgoing flights were cancelled, with 303 incoming flights and 314 outgoing flights delayed.
"Another five incoming flights were diverted to other areas such as Macau, Guangzhou or Haikou in Hainan," he said.
Between 9am and noon, the Observatory recorded more than 4,300 lightning strikes before all rainstorm signals were withdrawn at 12.30pm.
Senior scientific officer Li Sun-wai said the black rainstorm signal was the second shortest of the 19 issued since January 1998. The shortest lasted just 40 minutes on May 8 last year.
Four rainstorm warnings were issued in less than three hours yesterday. At 9.40am, the amber rainstorm signal was issued. This was changed to red at 10am and to black at 10.25am.
"The development of heavy rain was rapid," Li said, with the downpour the result of a trough of low pressure bringing unsettled weather.
"Heavy rain brought more than 70mm of rainfall to urban areas and rainfall even exceeded 100mm over Sha Tin, Tsuen Wan, Sai Kung and Ma On Shan in the morning," he said.
Most government clinics were closed and normal service only resumed in the afternoon.
According to a government spokeswoman, authorities received 15 reports of fallen trees, five reports of flooding and two reports of landslides between 9.40am and 3pm.
Part of the wall of an abandoned house collapsed at Ha Wo Che, Shui Wo Road, in Sha Tin at 10.18am. No one was injured.
Shortly after 11.30am, a section of Sha Tin Pass Road in Wong Tai Sin was closed to traffic following a landslide. It reopened about 3pm.
The rain is expected to ease off towards the end of the week.
