Govt to bolster flood prevention with HK$9.5 billion in drainage upgrades

The Development Bureau has submitted a proposal to the Legislative Council outlining plans for HK$9.5 billion in upgrades to stormwater drainage systems across seven districts.

That included Wong Tai Sin, Kwun Tong, Mong Kok, Kowloon City, Eastern Hong Kong Island, Sha Tin, Sai Kung, and Tai Po.

The move comes in response to the extreme weather challenges last September, which led to severe flooding in multiple areas. One of the hardest hit districts was Wong Tai Sin, where authorities have long been criticized for delays in constructing a much-needed underground stormwater storage tank. 

The authorities now plan to build a 47,000 cubic meter underground tank at Morse Park, as well as rehabilitate the existing drainage system along Po Kong Village Road.

The project is expected to be completed in phases over the next 5 years, with the underground storage tank targeted for completion in around 4.5 years.

In light of last year's extreme rainfall, the Drainage Services Department has re-evaluated over 140 years of rainfall data from the Observatory and updated the design rainfall parameters in its Stormwater Drainage Manual in March.