The HKSAR government stood by its decision to cancel classes citywide on Friday (July 11) despite minimal rainfall in most districts, with Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki emphasizing a "better safe than sorry" approach to extreme weather preparedness.
The steering committee on handling extreme weather, led by the Chan, announced on Thursday the suspension of all daytime classes and postponed Secondary One registration, anticipating severe storms. However, by Friday morning, only isolated areas recorded less than 2mm of rain, with Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and eastern New Territories remaining dry.
Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki.
In a midday social media post, Chan explained the decision was based on Observatory forecasts predicting potential "extreme rainfall" exceeding 390mm - about one-sixth of Hong Kong's annual average - with the worst expected at dawn.
"Protecting lives is our fundamental duty," he wrote, acknowledging weather variability but stressing the need for early warnings to avoid last-minute chaos.
The senior official revealed the committee faced a dilemma during its July 9 meeting: either make preemptive arrangements or wait until 5am to 6am for real-time updates, which would leave families scrambling.
He cited technological limitations in rainfall forecasting compared to typhoon tracking, noting current science cannot precisely predict intense rainbands far in advance.
While the Observatory later revised Friday's rainfall estimates downward, Chan urged continued vigilance, reminding residents that weather remains unpredictable.
The stance drew mixed reactions, with some parents complaining on the Education Bureau's Facebook page about canceled year-end ceremonies and award presentations.
Lawmaker Adrian Pedro Ho King-hong of the New People's Party questioned whether the policy needed review, noting many families had travel plans after scheduled last-day activities.
"What about those who arranged trips after today's graduation ceremonies, now postponed to Monday?" he asked, highlighting the challenges of balancing safety with practical disruptions.
(Marco Lam)
Read more: Sunny surprise sparks outrage after HK schools close for storms that never came
