New Territories battered by rain as worst of storm passes in Hong Kong

Heavy rains triggered an amber rainstorm warning, thunderstorm alert and flood warnings across the Northern New Territories in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Over the past 24 hours, remote areas of Sai Kung East Country Park recorded more than 500 millimetres of rain, according to data from the Hong Kong Observatory. Urban areas received around 70mm of rain.

An amber rainstorm warning was in force for about four hours until 6.15am, and the thunderstorm alert remained active for several hours until 7am. A flood alert was in force until 7.40am.

Hong Kong Observatory senior scientific officer Cheng Yuen-cheung said the worst of the weather had subsided and the area of thundery showers responsible for the heavy rain was moving to the eastern part of Guangdong and the northern part of the South China Sea.