I would like to address this letter to the Hong Kong Observatory and the Education Department.
I attend Hong Kong International School and live on the Peak. On April 14, I was surprised to learn that the school was closed, because the red rainstorm warning had been issued, due to heavy rain in the New Territories.
When I looked out, there was only a very light drizzle.
However, on May 2, there was heavy rain all over Hong Kong Island - more than 40 millimetres in Central at 6.30am. But the warning stayed at low amber. On the way to school, our bus was driving through water at least 15 to 20 centimetres deep. Another bus skidded and almost collided with us. Sewage drains were overflowing as were water catchment tunnels on slopes. Upon arrival at school, I was astonished to find that the observatory had not raised the black storm signal, let alone the red one.
A friend heard on the radio that the Education Department had told the observatory that school students could not afford to miss another day as it would jeopardise their chance to graduate. Is this what Hong Kong is coming to, putting 'graduation' before the safety of students? Can the department confirm that what I was told was true? If it was not, then why didn't the observatory raise a higher signal? Were its monitoring stations on Hong Kong Island functioning properly? Perhaps it needs more stations so it can have a more accurate picture.
I and many of my classmates would like a reply to the questions I have raised.
