Fresh floods hit Wong Tai Sin and Quarry Bay

Wong Tai Sin MTR and a market in Quarry Bay were flooded again yesterday during the amber rainstorm after the record-breaking downpour on Friday caused mayhem.

Heavy rainfall came last week with a trough of low pressure associated with Typhoon Haikui.

Amid the amber alert, the lower ground floor of Temple Bay Mall North was flooded again, taking about six hours for the water to be drained.

Heavy rain also affected Wong Tai Sin Station as flood barriers had to be set up at Exit D1. Elevators and escalators were still out of order as last night.

MTR Corp yesterday called on passengers traveling on the Kwun Tong line to board and alight at Lok Fu or Diamond Hill stations wherever possible.

It reminded passengers who need to use Wong Tai Sin station to allow sufficient time for their journeys and follow staff instructions as crowd-control measures may be implemented.

Meanwhile, several streets and some stores in Tai Ping Market in Quarry Bay were flooded.

Some shop owners said electricity could not work normally and goods were soaked. East Pavilion, which is adjacent to Tai Ping Market, was swamped, with tables and benches of stores floating, and all supermarkets, restaurants and stores were closed.

Residents said it would take eight to 10 days to restore electricity.

Elsewhere, a retaining wall measuring about 10 meters by 10 meters in Hung Hom collapsed yesterday morning, causing a large quantity of mud and sand to spread across the roads. No one was injured.

In Wan Chai, subsidence in the vicinity of Lin Shing Road trapped a taxi.

And part of Lung Cheung Road was flooded for the second time under amber rainstorm as workers had to remove drainage covers and clear the channels.

Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn Hon-ho said authorities had responded to 60 flooding reports, though due to rain there were still flooding cases. But she believed they could be dealt with soon.

And Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung said: "The Highways Department had restored about 80 roads that were damaged or blocked due to flooding, road subsidence and landslides by Saturday night."

Meanwhile, a 38-year-old electrician died of an electric shock while working on a rooftop of the Hong Kong Science Park in Sha Tin yesterday. The electrician, Chan, was rushed to Prince of Wales Hospital after his colleagues raised the alarm.

Sources said Chan had worked as a trainee electrician since June and was installing a power system when he was electrocuted.

stacy.shi@singtaonewscorp.com