Hong Kong floods: villagers scramble to prepare for release of reservoir water while battling torrential rain
- Government announced at 11.44pm that it had been told by Shenzhen authorities they would begin discharging water from reservoir ‘from midnight’
- Mak Chan, a 78-year-old villager, said he had little time to prepare, and ‘couldn’t even call anyone in’ to help move his furniture
Some Hong Kong villagers who live near the mainland China border said they were given very little time to prepare for the release of reservoir water by Shenzhen as they struggled to handle torrential rain and floods on Thursday night, with local authorities only told about the discharge 45 minutes before it happened.
“There may be a risk of flooding in some parts of the New Territories,” the government added.
A notice from the Shenzhen Emergency Management Bureau said the discharge of reservoir water began at 12.15am on Friday at a rate of 70 to 80 cubic metres per second, which was increased to 120 cubic metres per second at 3.15am.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung told a press briefing on Friday afternoon that Hong Kong officials were notified of Shenzhen’s plans 45 minutes in advance.