Anent this, it is interesting to recall the remarks of a correspondent at the time. He says "we were greatly struck, when viewing the effects of the storm, by the disgraceful state of the spouting in every street in the Colony. It was enough to warrant the discharge of every responsible man in the Public Works Department."
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On the following day, the rain was still falling heavily! The centre of the town was almost a complete wreck. By 3 a.m. every gradient was a torrent. Shop assistants worked through the night in a frantic endeavour to save the stock and furnishings. Every basement in the town was flooded. Messrs. Kelly and Walsh's establishment had been fortified by boards and sand and most of their stock was saved. Messrs. Cruikshank and Co.'s premises were broken into by the flood which poured down Wyndham Street and notwithstanding the efforts of the employees, it was completely wrecked in an hour or so - the counter torn down, the show cases smashed and the thick plate glass windows broken. Their godown near Messrs. Jardine Matheson and Co.'s offices was also flooded and thousands of dollars worth of stock damaged. Messrs. Hall and Holtz' stock was also destroyed. Sand three feet deep was piled up at the foot of Zetland Street. The raging torrent between the Clock Tower and the Post Office washed away a number of Chinese, who were, however, rescued. The steps at the top of Duddell Street were like a cataract and at the junction of Ice House Lane and Battery Path, pedestrians waded waist-deep in water. Great damage was done at Murray Barracks. The large nullah between the Officer's Mess and the Female Hospital was inadequate to carry away the storm water, and the hospital had to be vacated during the afternoon, when it was feared that the foundations were giving way.
Further details of the damage done by the flood will be given
The picture published below appeared in the London Graphic.
To-day I propose to give further details of the great flood of May, 1889.
Considerable damage was done at Wanchai. Three houses near the Seamen's Club were completely wrecked by a landslide. A European lady, Mrs. Leslie, had a narrow escape. She heard an ominous rumbling and rushed into the street in night attire. A few minutes later, the earth gave way, and the three houses collapsed like a pack of cards.
Ship Street was torn up by the rushing waters and its level fell several feet.
Great damage was done to the cemeteries, many coffins being uncovered as the earth was washed away.
Near the Happy Valley cemetery a huge landslide occurred above the aqueduct, breaking down four arches and cutting off the water supply.
Part of the old Brewery at East Point collapsed. Falling masonry splintered a telephone pole, cutting off communications.
At Stanley, a whole village was levelled, but fortunately, no one was injured. At Yaumati, a man was crushed to death by the fall of a house and another was swept away with a matshed and drowned.
In the Upper Levels of the City, comparatively little damage was done. Garden Road was torn up and a few land-slips occurred, but apart from this, and the damage to the Peak Tramway (see yesterday) residents fared well.
Thunder and lightning continued on May 30. At 3.30 a.m. the gas supply failed and alarm was caused when water began to pour out of the burners. It appears that some of the small mains on the higher levels burst, flooding the larger pipes on the lower levels.
During the 24 hours ended 7 a.m. on May 30, 24 inches of rain fell.
The break in the deluge occurred in the afternoon of May 30. I append herewith a brief survey of the damage, taken from the Hongkong Telegraph files: