Heavy rains pound Hong Kong, cause floods, landslides
Pastor Dale Morgan
Heavy rains pound Hong Kong, cause floods, landslides*
HONG KONG (AP) — Heavy rains unleashed flooding and landslides early
Saturday in Hong Kong, shutting down roads and air traffic throughout
the territory, officials said.
Rescuers were searching for two people believed trapped after a roadside
store that collapsed in torrential rains in the New Territories suburb,
authorities said.
"The heavy rainfall has loosened the mud. There's a chance of further
landslides. It makes the operation more difficult," fire commander Tam
Yiu-kei said.
Flooding disrupted traffic at Hong Kong International Airport, with a
highway to the airport covered in muddy water. Several cars were trapped
on the highway, Hong Kong Cable TV footage showed.
More than 150 flights were delayed, and one inbound flight was canceled,
authorities said.
The storm, fueled by a trough of low pressure over the South China Sea,
caused almost 40 landslides and 125 floods across the territory,
government spokeswoman Suzanne Lee said.
Nearly 12 inches of rain fell Saturday morning, according to the Hong
Kong Observatory, which issued rainstorm and landslide warnings.
Hong Kong's rainy season usually takes place between April and September.