Hong Kong’s central business district and outer airport were hit by violent gusts and a deluge of heavy rain on Thur
sday, with the city again issuing its highest rain warning as Tropical Storm Podul passed the region.
Parts of Hong Kong have received as much as 400 millimeter
s (15.7 inches) of rain since midnight, with flights disrupted and schools shut for the day. A black rain warning was issu
ed for a fifth time, breaking a record that was set earlier this month after the city was swamped by a prolonged deluge.
The signal was in effect for more than three hours before being downgra
ded to a red rain warning just after 11 a.m. local time. Podul has continued to weaken as the system moves inland across mainland China.
The storm has caused widespread disruptions to flights across souther
n China, with Guangzhou the worst affected airport in the world as of 10:45 a.m. for delays and cancellations, acc
ording to data from FlightAware. Shenzhen and Hong Kong also faced a number of flight delays.
Read More: Hong Kong Sets Rainfall Record as Deluge Disrupts Flights
A severe rainstorm alert was issued during the morning for Chek Lap Kok, the region that’s home to the city’s bustling airport.
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An exceptionally severe rainstorm warning was also issued for the office-dense Central and Western districts.
That signals hourly rainfall rates of more than 140 millimeters are expected, and serious flooding is possible. Several subwa
y exits were shut earlier in the morning, according to the railway operator.
The Hong Kong Observatory introduced the severe rainstorm and exceptionally severe rainstorm terms la
st year after the city’s most notable black rain event in September 2023, which broke a number of records. The bureau added that extreme weather will become more frequent under global warming.
As global temperatures continue to climb, Hong Kong will likely see significant increases in its maximum hourly rainfall, according to climate projections mo
deled by a team of scientists including Jimmy Fung, a professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.