In pics | Record-breaking rain batters Hong Kong and Chinese city Shenzhen

Torrential rain has battered Hong Kong, which witnessed its highest hourly rainfall since records began 140 years ago, on Friday (September 8), causing widespread flooding across the densely packed city. Meanwhile, all schools, several subway stations and offices, in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen were shut after Typhoon Haikui’s residual storm clouds unleashed the heaviest rain since records began in 1952.

The heaviest rainfall in at least 140 years has submerged streets, shopping malls and metro stations across Hong Kong and prompted officials to shut schools and ask workers to stay at home. 

Hong Kong leader, John Lee said he was very concerned about the severe flooding in most parts of the city and has instructed all departments to respond with “all-out efforts”. 

Meanwhile, Eric Chan, secretary for administration, said Hong Kong's transport network was "severely disrupted," adding that the "extreme conditions" would extend to midnight on Friday. 

Hong Kong’s observatory reported rainfall of 158.1 millimetres between 11:00 pm (local time) on Thursday and midnight on Friday. 

The weather bureau also issued the highest “black” rainstorm warning and recorded more than 200 mm of rainfall on Hong Kong’s main island, Kowloon and the northeastern part of the city’s New Territories since Thursday night. 

The conditions were expected to last till at least Friday afternoon, said the weather bureau. They have also attributed this to the trough of low pressure associated with the remnant of Typhoon Haikui. 

Travel and transport between Liantang Port and Wenjindu Port connecting Shenzhen and Hong Kong were also suspended due to flood damage, said the Hong Kong government. 

All schools in Hong Kong have been suspended due to “extensive flooding,” said the officials, adding that employers have been asked to observe arrangements typically used for the strong wind signal 8, which brings the city to an effective standstill. 

Meanwhile, Macau’s weather bureau issued the lowest “yellow” rainstorm warning on Friday, with much of the gambling hub operating as usual. 

A report by Reuters citing a television news channel said that rescue workers took one person to hospital who was dead on arrival, while some 83 people were said to be injured. 

The officials have also issued landslide risk warnings near the city’s mountainous terrain while streets turned into torrents and social media videos showed workers wading waist-deep in a station, as per Reuters. 

"I've never seen scenes like this before. Even during previous typhoons, it was never this severe. It's quite terrifying," said Hong Kong assistant nurse Connie Cheung, 65, as per Reuters. 

Heavy rains have also battered Shenzhen, where residents, as per Reuters were seen holding onto safety lines and wading cautiously through knee-deep floodwaters late on Thursday (Sep 7). 

Officials in Shenzhen have said, “that primary and secondary schools and kindergartens across the city will suspend classes on Friday to ensure the citizen’s safety and property,” reported Xinhua. 

Image shows a worker  by a whirlpool as flood waters is drained on a road in Hong Kong on September 8, 2023. 

China’s Meteorological Administration, on Friday, said that heavy rains will continue until early Saturday. 

Chinese state media, Xinhua, said that between 5:00 pm (local time) Thursday and 6:00 am (local time) Friday, the average rainfall in Shenzhen was 202.8 mm while the maximum cumulative rainfall reached 469 mm, breaking multiple meteorological records which began over seven decades ago. 

According to media reports, daily rainfall in the city located in the Pearl River Delta linking Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland was expected to exceed 500 mm. 

Shenzhen’s observatory also issued emergency warnings advising residents to stay indoors and warning downpours were abrupt and intense. Additionally, schools in 10 districts across Guangzhou city, which is some 130 kilometres from Shenzhen, were suspended.

The water level in the Shenzhen reservoir also reached its limit on Friday, prompting authorities to begin discharging water and warning residents downstream to stay away from the rivers. 

Typhoon Haikui, which was later downgraded to a tropical depression, made landfall in China’s Fujian province on Tuesday and caused nearly $700 million in economic losses before moving to Guangdong.