Residents wade through floodwaters during heavy rain in Hong Kong, China, on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Hong Kong's heaviest rainstorm since records began in 1884 flooded the financial hub's streets and sent torrents of water rushing through subway stations, bringing much of the city to a standstill and forcing the stock market to scrap trading on Friday. Photographer: Lam Yik/Bloomberg via Getty Images
As of Friday (Sept. 8), Hong Kong has experienced two natural disasters resulting in injured people, flooding, and landslides.
Rainfall, up to 19 inches in some areas, also stranded passengers in their vehicles. The rain comes days after the city experienced a weakened typhoon days ago, per CNN.
Typhoon Saola went from a super typhoon to a Category 2 hurricane upon approaching Hong Kong. Still, the natural occurrence caused injuries to a reported 86 people but also interrupted hundreds of flights.
NBC reports that Friday’s rainfall closed schools and businesses and kept the stock market from opening. Road travelers faced muddy road conditions and severe flooding. Parts of Southern China were also affected.
Videos circulating on social media capture harrowing scenes of water rushing through streets, subways, and businesses like shopping centers. Others showed behind-the-scene footage of flooding inside private residences.
In one hour, starting at 11 p.m. Thursday (local time), the Hong Kong Observatory says the city experienced “the highest recording for a single hour since records began in 1884,” per the Associated Press.
The downpour reportedly started on Thursday night. In the aftermath, NBC reported over 100 injured and two deceased in the floodwaters in different parts of Hong Kong.
According to AP, Beijing expects heavy rainfall through Saturday night. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s governing officials are receiving critical commentary regarding their preparedness for the natural disaster.
The city’s number two-in-charge, Eric Chan, said the predictability between rainfall and typhoon cannot be compared.
