6
Saturday, January 20, 1973
LAST YEAR'S WEATHER MUCH WETTER THAN USUAL
Widespread Damage Caused By June Rainstorm
Hong Kong, like many countries in Asia, suffered from widespread
flooding and landslides in 1972 as a result of heavy rain.
"The heavy rainstorm in June, which caused disastrous landslides
and the collapse of multi-storey buildings, will probably be long
remembered," the Royal Observatory says in its review of the year's
weather.
During these tragic incidents, over 100 people were killed and
thousands were left homeless.
It all started on June 14 when a very active trough of low pressure
moved slowly southwards across south China and the weather in Hong Kong
deteriorated rapidly on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, June 15.
During the next three days, continuous heavy rain with frequent
thunderstorms, reminiscent of the rainstorms of June 1966, were experienced and the maximum hourly rainfall of 98.7 mm. recorded on June 18 was close
to the record value of 108.2 mm set in 1966.
It was the first time in the recorded history of the Royal Observatory
that rainfall in excess of 200 mm, fell in three consecutive days.
Thunderstorms and heavy rain warnings were issued and renewed almost
continuously from June 15 to 18.
During this period, widespread flooding and serious traffic disruption
were reported in nearly all parts of Hong Kong and the excessive rainfall
resulted in the disastrous landslides at Sau Mau Ping and the collapse of buildings at Kotewall Road and Po Shan Road on June 18.
The year .*****