33
14
SOUTH CHINA MORNING
POST. FRIDAY,
TRAFFIC DIFFICULTIES WEATHER OF AUGUST ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES CITY DESOLATION
Public Services Disrupted Sunshine Less Than Normal Mishap at Kowloon Affects Business Area Suffers
Until Late Morning
For the Month
THROUGHFARES
a.m.
FLOODED
VARIABLE CONDITIONS
Service for Half Hour
DAMAGED WIRES
year.
Much Damage
PUBLIC CLOCKS STOP
The city presented a dismal ap- pearance during the early morning, with flooded streets and rubbish lying about everywhere. Bricks, broken glass, matting and tree branches were well in evidence.
were
Trees around the cricket ground
Traffic throughout the Colony was The month of August in the Profiting by the experience of the completely disorganised during the Colony opened with a short spell of 1936 typhoon the China Light and early hours of yesterday morning, very warm sunny weather. From Power Co. Ltd. were better prepared owing to floods and obstructions due the 5th. to the 17th, the weather was for this one, and the interruption to mainly to fallen trees.
mainly cloudy and showery, with the electrical service in Kowloon and The Peak tram-lines were covered south-westerly winds; temperatures the New Territories was comparative- with tree trunks and branches, were slightly above normal, and ly small, damage being considerably causing a delay in the service of thunder was frequent during this less than that suffered last several hours. The debris was re- period, From the 17th. until the This would have been even less but
The low lying areas of Queen's moved by 10 a.m. and the service end of the month a persistent trough for the stranding of the Shenandoah. Road, and most of the narrow streets resumed shortly afterwards.
of low pressure extended across the This hulk of the former luxury yacht, Floods and debris were responsible China Sea; giving comparatively cool which was
almost knee-deep in water, for the delay in the Tramway Com-easterly winds
washed alongside the
and progress on foot could be made in Hongkong; the wharf at the Company's power pany's service which did not com- weather during this period was vari- station, carried away the suction pipe only by wading through the mud- mence yesterday morning until 11.30 able; there were several sunny days, of one turbine, and it
coloured and filth-filled flood. was to this and some short spells of cloudy that an interruption to the supply of Motor traffic along Queen's Road weather with frequent rain. East, from Wellington Barracks to typhoon
No current for 28 minutes at 4 a.m. was seriously affected the due. Garden Road, was held up for con-Colony during the month, siderable time
This damage was attended to at 8 owing to floods.
The mean temperature for the a.m. by a diver from the Whampoa Several cars attempted to cross the month was 82.2°F, which
is 0.5" Docks. area but were left stranded after
above normal. A maximum of Most inconvenience was suffered going half-way. By 8.30 a.m. how-93.0° was recorded on the 2nd. and by the outlying districts, where a ever, the water bad subsided enough
a minimum of 75.9° on the 22nd. few local lines were blown for traffic to be resumed.
down, The mean Similar scenes
relative humidity but these, it is understood, should all witnessed were
be set right some time to-day. 86% against a normal of 83%.
So far along the waterfront in Wanchai,
as the main line in the New Terri- where the No. 2 Police Station was Sunshine was deficient, amount- flooded.
ing to only 125 hours, which is 79 tories was concerned, it was out of hours less than normal. The total commission for a very brief period. early rainfall was 14.35 inches, which is
slightly above normal.
At Jardine's Bazaar, and King's
near
Roed,
Ming Yuen, motorists had to ford wide streams a foot deep.
Buses Operate Although there was still. a strong wind blowing the China Motor Bus Co., Ltd., sent out 35 of its vehicles at 7 a.m. yesterday.
was
The maximum wind velocity in a gust was 57 m.p.h. at 8.37 a.m. on the 20th.
GARDENS RAINFALL
Tho rainfall recorded at the
during
Gardens
IN HONGKONG
It was learned that the Hongkong Electric Company's wires and cables had only been very slightly damaged by the typhoon.
The Company did not cut off the circuit in any district in Hongkong during the height of the storm and August if electric lights failed to function in some areas it was due to damaged wires it was stated yesterday.
Twenty-four of the 35 buses were Botanic for the No. 5, Tai Hang, route, and amounted to 14.29 inches, over two 11 were for the Happy Valley ser-inches falling on three days during vice. At 8.30 a.m. when the wind the month. On only nine days was had abated somewhat, four buses no rain recorded. were put on the Taikoo Dock schedule.
molished or badly damaged. Several The buses proved a boon to some of the more substantial sheds also office people who without this means suffered badly. of conveyance would have been compelled to stay at home or come to town on foot and through some the typhoon last year, was on this
roads that were flooded knee high,
Cars which had been parked in Statue Square the previous evening
with their hoods in tatters.
KOWLOON'S PLIGHT
The Lido Lady, which rode out
occasion driven ashore near the Lido, broadside on. Beach Road is a tangled mass of uprooted trees,
fared badly. Saloon cars mostly whilst there has been a fairly big escaped, but roadsters were to be landslide at the western end of the seen everywhere yesterday morning new wing of Repulse Bay Hotel.
Two junks, both dismasted, are anchored in the bay, having ap- In many parts of Kowloon traffic parently managed to ride out the generally was at a standstill until storm. There are said to be ten shore the and up-rooted trees. The Kowloon masts of what appear to be a small Motor Bus Company was unable to yacht are showing above the water bring its buses on their respective line.
well' after 7 a.m. because of floods people
routes until about 10.30 when all service lines were opened. In Nathan Road small cars were only able to pass after 7 a.m. Some drivers who ventured out before that time had to abandon their cars until the floods had subsided.
water.
Near on board.
Pokfulam and Stanley were the two places most affected, but repairs in those areas have since been effected. Wong Nei-chong residents report that the lights failed at 3.30 and did not come on again until 7.30.
TROD ON WIRE
Police Officer Suffers
From Shock
Sub-Inspector H. E. Rogers, of the Mongkok Police Station, was ad- mitted to the Kowloon Hospital yes- terday suffering from the effects of electric shock when he trod un an electric wire which had been blown down and which was submerged un- der water in Nathan Road at 5.30
His condition is not serious.
STANLEY ISOLATED
a.m.
TWO
ELECTROCUTED
Bathing matsheds on the Stanley So great was the velocity of the beach suffered severely during wind near the Peninsula Hotel that the storm,, and it is estimated a saloon car parked at the back was that at least
one third of Mok Kam-wah, of Lung Wah turned over on its side and lay for the total number are completely village, was found dead at Great several hours in nearly two feet of wrecked. Many of the more sub- George Street. He apparently died stantially built structures are damag-of electric shock, caused by taking ed but still standing.
up a felled tree branch that was in REPULSE BAY SCENES
Residents on the Stanley Peninsula contact with a live wire. were completely isolated during the Repulse Bay felt the full fury of typhoon, the electric current and yesterday morning's storm. Most of telephone communication being inter- the matsheds have been either de- rupted.
AT
TO-MORROW THE
Clark
Lan Sun, 31, boot black of Lockhart Road, died of the same cause. He had apparently touched a live wire outside a house in Lockhart Road,
ALHAMBRA
They fell for the ladycalled "China Doll"!,
Mighty spectacle of flaming romance and pulse-stirring adven. ture as these three great stars together enact their most bril- liant screen roles.
GABLE
&HARLOW
Wallace BEERY
China Seas
Mero
Goldwy
Mayer
PICTURE
with
LEWIS STONE
ROSALIND RUSSELL DUDLEY DIGGES AUBREY SMITH
Associate Producer: Albert Lewin
and Statue Square were stripped clear of branches, and many of the poorer class Chinese were to be early seen, tearing and chopping off the free wood A large tree in the north-cust corner of the cricket ground was uprooted.
Smashed windows and flooded basements were plentiful, and Lane, Crawford, Ltd., had the assistance of a fire engine in pumping the water
from the Cafe Wiseman. This method was also employed in respect of the Post Office basement.
The plate-glass windows of the Office Appliance Company, in Des Voeux Road Central near the Bank of East Asia Building, and that of the Sun Company and Sincere's, were all stove in, and were later boarded up.
SEPTEMBER 3,
1937.
ALL ROADS OPEN
Fewer Obstructions Than Expected
CITY TRAFFIC BLOCK
Motorists will be glad to hear that all the roads leading around the Island and in the New Territories are now open to traffic.
Enquiries at the Roads Office of the P.W.D. yesterday revealed that minor landslides had occurred on the Sheko Road, between Sheko
and Tytam Roads, Magazine Gap Road, and in the vicinity of the Repulse Bay Hotel. It was also reported that there was a boulder in Shaukiwan Road, but this causing no obstruc- tion to cars.
The normal road to Repulse Bay via Wongneichong Gap Road was passable for small cars, early in the morning although strewn at various points
and with uprooted trees boulders which had fallen down the hillside. These were removed later in the day and the road was opened to normal traffic.
Flooded roads were at one time a hindrance to traffic around the New Territories but once the water had Rowed off there was little more than branches, mud and debris left.
The conductor of the first Kow-|
car to loon Motor Bus Company's arrive in Kowloon from Yuen Loong. yesterday afternoon, about 4 p.m. reported that the road was blocked in some places by fallen telephone poles, trees and landslides. The bus had to stop several times while coolies lifted the obstructions from the road so that the bus could proceed. Extensive clearance work affected areas was carried throughout yesterday.
around
out
TELEPHONES SUFFER
Signboards in all streets were hanging in precarious positions, and the top half of the one belonging to the Queen's Theatre, and one over the China Emporium, were smashed. Gloucester Clock Stopped
streets Many of the mainly by the Chinese were strewn Some 2,000 Faults Reported with bricks and plaster, which had
populated
been torn off the roofs and walls of In Hongkong and Kowloon
houses. Several small walls also collapsed.
·
In the western area, the collapse CANTON TOLL LINE BROKEN of a house at No. 47 Third Street, was reported, with the loss of one life and injuries to five others. The first floor suddenly caved in on top As was only to be expected after of the occupants shortly after 4 a.m., but the Emergency Unit and other vice was affected, and shortly after such a visitation, the telephone ser- police were quickly on the scene, and the full force of the gale had been extricated those trapped under ex- felt, a large number of faults came tremely difficulty conditions.
The on.
The emergency staff of the dead person was a woman, Tam Ng- Telephone Company were standing mui, aged 50.
by, and by a little after 9 o'clock yesterday morning the full position was known.
No. 7 Police Station suffered damage to its roof, and windows had panes of gras missing. In Kennedy Town, the Chung Shing Benevolent Society bathing shed had its piers swept away, and parts of its roof was also torn off.
Manufactory premises fronting Cat- Part of the Fung Keong Rubber chick Street collapsed about 4.15 a.m. but it was empty at the time, except for an Indian watchman who was in his quarters in the front of the building at the time, and escaped injury. The collapse blocked the tramlines for some time, but was
later cleared and traffic resumed.
Kowloon
In both Hongkong and areas some 2,000 faults have been reported. The damage in the mid-
levels area has been most extensive, this being due to flying branches of wires. A trees, etc., striking the large number of poles have been twisted and broken in the North Point area, and on the south side of the Island, Some of these routes will take a considerable time to re- pair.
Subscribers should note that every fault on the system has now been
be
tested, and the Company is doing everything it can to restore the ser- Part of the China Provident Loan
vice, but it must be realised that in and Mortgage godown also collapsed
some cases, owing to
the
serious along the praya west of Whitty nature of the damage, several days! Street. The Street Sleepers' Shelter
can will elapse before repairs suffered damage to its windows, and effected. plaster was torn off its walls. Dozens of hawkers stalls were upset and damaged to some extent, but busi- ness was carried on as usual as soon as they were righted by their owners. THE MID-LEVELS
The
mid-levels suffered mostly through fallen trees and minor land- slides, which at a few spots rendered passage impossible. Kennedy Road was notable in this respect and in one place a falling tree had knocked a lamp-post sideways, almost off its foundation.
Albany Road had part of its walls torn away opposite St. Paul's Boys'
The College Hostel.
Peak Tram clock was put out of action.
In Bonham Road, a large tree that became uprooted near Ladder Street crashed on top of a Vauxhall car, which had been parked there during the night, damaging it greatly.
Cable Faults
have
Several large cable faulls occurred, affecting the Western dis- triet and Pokfulum, while a large number of smaller cable faults have occurred in the Eastern area.
In Kowloon the damage has mostly been confined to overhead wires, but a number of cable faults have been reported there.
The Hongkong-Canton Toll cable is completely broken away at two points in the New Territories near Taipo and Taipo Market, due to bridges over which the cable is run
away or being washed
severely damaged.
attempting
Breakdown gangs are
to effect repairs, but it is not anti- cipated that service to Canton will be restored until some time to-day,
Telephone communication with Cheung Chau and Tai O has been
The Edinburgh Castle, belonging disrupted. to Mr. Eu Tong-sen, had its east gate torn off their hinges. Near the top
of Eastern Street, a large boulder HAPPY VALLEY ESCAPES
fell across the road, blocking traffic,
but was later removed.
During the evening, the body of a five-year-old girl was found by the
Very little damage was done in the police in High Street, It is not Happy Valley district, although the known how she came to be there, or refugees from Shanghai housed in the whether her death was due to an Jockey Club stands spent an anxious accident.
and sleepless night. The matshed Robinson Road was hardly damaged verandahs erected for them were though in some cases fallen trees demolished, as was the play shed in again caused some inconvenience. the centre of the course.
The houses here are old substantial The Hongkong Football Club stands ones in the main and though some were demolished as usual. Many of of the residents felt the blow pretty the rails round the race track were severely there was not much fear of torn up.
real danger in this locality.
The Wongneichong matshed market collapsed burying all the stalls with-
The trees on the western side of Garden Road suffered extensively. out injuring anyone. Part of the
A small part of the wall at Govern- ment House a little above the en- trance to the Botanical Gardens was broken through by a tree crashing on it.
Victoria Road, between Kennedy Town and Mount Davis Road, is closed to traffic owing to trees block- ing the road.
PEAK DISTRICT
The Peak district did not escape its share of damage. Gough Hill Police Station was extensively damaged, and the quarters of the Weihaiwei contingent was swept away, and the Shantung men are now quartered in No. 8 Police Station.
wall
of the Government collapsed.
The
School
super-
cemeteries received ficial damage in the form of damaged trees and plants.
Scaffolding from around the Electric Company station blocked Shan Kwong Road.
The roof of the Wongneichung Police Station was blown off and an Indian Sergeant received facial and shoulder injuries. He was taken to Queen Mary Hospital for treatment.
SAVED FROM SEA
Most of the houses up the Peak suffered damage to their roofs, many Passing San Pan Chau lighthouse, of which were. ripped off. The tiled about 45 miles from Hongkong, on roofs were the chief sufferers, while its way from Canton to the Colony, the concrete structures escaped the steamer Tung On found eight lightly. Fallen trees littered the men, women and children hanging to roadways, and prevented the passage two pieces of wood.
of traffic, until P. W. D. workmen The ship was stopped and the arrived on the scene. The operating Chief Officer, Mr. W. F. O'Farrell theatre of the War Memorial Nursing dived overboard, rescuing them. Home was damaged.
They were sent to hospital on ar- The Peak Tram service resumed ríval, suffering from immersion. immediately after the lowering of the They had been in the water for typhoon signal.
about 15 hours.