🇭🇰Is Hong Kong Finally Running Out of Shelter from the Storm? Record‑Shattering Rain Exposes Climate Fragility
On August 5, 2025, Hong Kong endured its heaviest August daily rainfall since records began in 1884, receiving over 350 mm (13.8 inches) by mid‑afternoon at the Hong Kong Observatory’s Tsim Sha Tsui station—latest readings even climbed to 358.8 mm (14.1 inches). Authorities issued the powerful “black” rainstorm warning—the highest tier—for the fourth time in eight days, setting a new frequency record within a single year and enduring for more than 11 hours, marking the second‑longest continuous alert in history.
The downpour brought Hong Kong to a standstill: schools, courts, and outpatient clinics were closed, ankles-deep water flooded hospital entrances, and staircases turned into white-water chutes across the cityscape. Experts warn these extreme events—already linked to a warming climate—are becoming the new norm and that Hong Kong must urgently upgrade its infrastructure and resilience planning before the next deluge hits.