The Central and Western districts of Hong Kong Island experienced significant rainfall under a Black Rainstorm warning.
Notably, part of the Pok Fu Lam Road near the University of Hong Kong (HKU) was submerged, leading to a minibus breaking down. The adjacent stone steps resembled a waterfall as torrents of rainwater cascaded down.
Some residents reported flooding at the Hill Road exit of the HKU MTR station, where the water level reached approximately ankle height. One resident mentioned that although the rain and wind were severe, they were less intense than those experienced during the previous black rainstorm earlier this month.
A section of Connaught Road West near the Liaison Office was heavily flooded in the morning, with water reaching calf height, forcing pedestrians to wade through.
Stormwater surged back out of roadside drains, prompting the Liaison Office to install floodgates and sandbags at its parking lot entrances.
Nearby shop owners said the heaviest rain occurred around 8am, causing temporary flooding on Connaught Road West and stalling some vehicles. Drainage workers were dispatched to clear the drains, and the floodwaters subsided after about an hour.
At Tai Po Market MTR Station, some residents mentioned they had already started work before the Black Rainstorm Warning was issued. A film industry worker said their company meeting had to be rescheduled but expected to resume normal work later.
Near Kwai Fong MTR Station, the rain was not heavy, but the sky remained dark. A shopping mall placed plastic flood barriers at its entrance. A nearby office worker said they had been waiting to go to work in Kwai Fong since around 9am, adding that if the Observatory had issued the black rainstorm warning signal about half an hour earlier, they would have stayed home.
They described the timing of the warning as “awkward” and said they would head back to work early if the signal was later downgraded to red.
Around Lung Cheung Road in Wong Tai Sin, rainfall was light with no visible flooding. Exit B3 of Wong Tai Sin MTR Station was temporarily closed, while the Drainage Services Department set up water pumps and sandbags at Exit A.
One staircase exit of Wong Tai Sin Temple was shut with flood barriers in place, but the temple remained open. The north wing of Wong Tai Sin Plaza closed its entrances as a precaution, though no flooding occurred.
A resident said the Observatory’s decision aligned with the actual weather conditions. They were scheduled to work at 3 pm but were unsure if it would be canceled.
A construction worker expressed frustration over lost income due to extreme weather, saying they had only worked eight days this month because of unstable conditions. Still, they emphasized safety first, stating they would not work in severe weather.
