Update | Hiker in narrow escape from lightning and at least 149 reports of people trapped in lifts in Hong Kong downpour
CLP Power is looking into whether a low voltage dip that caused more than a hundred lift stoppages across the city on Sunday was caused by storm damage at its Black Point Power Station in Tuen Mun.
Emergency services received at least 149 cases of people being trapped in elevators between 9.30am and 11.30am on Sunday, mostly in Kowloon and the New Territories, as heavy thunderstorms dumped more 30mm of rain across parts of the city. At least one passenger had to be hospitalised for injuries.
The Observatory raised the amber rainstorm signal at 9.30am before cancelling it two hours later. A thunderstorm warning was issued at 8.15am and extended to 3.30pm. The city was hit by least 319 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes.
CLP, which generates and supplies electricity to Kowloon, New Territories and Lantau, reported a split- second voltage dip in a 400,000-volt transmission network at 9.38am, during the heat of the storm. The dip lasted “less than 0.1 seconds” and did not affect power supply, the utility said.
Voltage dips cause lights to dim or flicker – but can also trigger safety mechanisms of electrical machinery more sensitive to voltage changes such as lifts.
A CLP spokeswoman said there was a simultaneous “component failure” at its Black Point Power Station yesterday morning, and did not rule out a link. She confirmed reports that there were smoke and flames coming from the gas-fired Lung Kwu Tan plant as a result of the failure.
Smoke was still billowing from one of the plant’s units on Sunday night.
“The voltage dip lasted less than 0.1 seconds but there was no interruption in power supply,” the spokeswoman said. “We are investigating the cause of this voltage dip, including the impact from the weather and component failure.”
A trough of low pressure has brought thundery showers to the coast of Guangdong and the bad weather is likely to continue this week.
Fire crews sent a mountain rescue unit to the aid of a hiker who was apparently struck by lightning on the Pak Tam Chung section of the Maclehose Trail in Sai Kung.
The 42-year-old man was taken to Tseung Kwan O hospital with injuries to his neck, chest and leg. When he regained consciousness he said the hearing on his right side was affected. “I’m OK, but I can’t hear that clearly.”
He said the amber storm warning was not in force when he set out and it was not raining that heavily. Recalling his narrow escape, he said: “I vaguely knew that the ambulance was called. I was not struck exactly, but it was close. It came through my body.”
Experienced hiker Shum Si-ki, founder of Hong Kong Hiking Meetup, urged people not to trek in bad weather. “But the biggest issue is when a thunderstorm strikes when you are already on the mountain,” he said.
Shum said hikers in that situation should remove any metal objects on their body, including jewellery or gear such as trekking poles and hiking pack, which may contain metallic parts and get off the mountain as soon as possible. He urged hikers to stay low and ensure they were “never the tallest object” in their vicinity.
