Expert defends move to raise just red storm warning

The Observatory has its standards and a rainstorm warning will only be issued when rainfall records for most of the selected weather stations in Hong Kong meet or exceed them,said its former assistant director, Leung Wing-mo, over the issuance of rainstorm warnings.

Leung was weighing in over the Observatory's issuance of its first red rainstorm warning of the year, which lasted for almost seven hours.

Eastern areas of Hong Kong, such as Sai Kung and Tseung Kwan O, were hit the worst, with heavy flooding and closures of trunk roads.

In Tseung Kwan O, some areas recorded more than 400 millimeters of rainfall in just four hours, leading some people to question why a black rainstorm warning wasn't issued.

"When a rainstorm warning is issued, the Observatory will also provide supplementary information to remind the public in certain areas with heavier rainstorms to stay in a safe place and be aware of the most updated weather conditions,"Leung said.

He also said the amount of rainfall was highly random, making it challenging to predict and provide a weather report for each district.

He attributed the deluge to a combination of weak cold air mixing with warm and humid air from the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, along with high-altitude disturbances and climate changes.

As such, the rainfall was heavier than in previous spring seasons.

He also warned that if global warming continues, there will be an increase in extreme weather events such as heavy rainstorms.

Regarding other environmental concerns, Leung expressed support for the waste charging scheme, despite acknowledging its potential inconvenience and implementation difficulties.

Leung called on the public to reduce waste and urged the government to implement more stringent policies to reduce carbon emissions.

In response to the severe weather conditions, the Observatory said: "To prepare the public for the upcoming severe weather, we will continue to strengthen information dissemination with the current technology provided."