XN000022-1982-09-15 — Page 11

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1982

AUGUST RAINFALL SETS A RECORD

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THE 872 MM OF RAIN WHICH FELL LAST MONTH MADE IT THE WETTEST AUGUST SINCE RECORDS BEGAN IN 1884, THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY REPORTED TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

1923.

THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS CLOSE, MEASURING 871.4 MM, SET IN

THE HEAVY RAINFALL FOR THE MONTH HELPED BRING HONG KONG'S WATER STORAGE IN THE RESERVOIRS TO ABOUT 80 PER CENT OF THEIR TOTAL CAPACITY OR 460.75 MILLION CUBIC METRES, WITH ALL THE RESERVOIRS FULL EXCEPT FOR THE LOWER SHING MUN, PLOVER COVE AND HIGH ISLAND RESERVOIRS.

RAINFALL ON AUGUST 16, MEASURING 334.2 MM, WAS THE HIGHEST DAILY FIGURE FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST AND THE FIFTH HIGHEST FOR ANY MONTH.

AND IN THE FIVE DAYS FROM AUGUST 15 TO 19, THE 522.8 MM OF RAINFALL WAS THE HIGHEST FOR ANY FIVE-DAY PERIOD OF RAINFALL FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST, THE OBSERVATORY REPORTED.

ALL IN ALL, THE ACCUMULATED RAINFALL FROM JANUARY TO AUGUST AMOUNTED TO 2 521.2 MM, WHICH WAS 46 PER CENT ABOVE NORMAL -- AND THE SECOND HIGHEST RAINFALL ON RECORD FOR THE EIGHT-MONTH PERIOD.

WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY SHOWERS ON AUGUST 1 AND 3 CAUSED LANDSLIPS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF HONG KONG.

DURING THE PERIOD, ABOUT 180 PEOPLE WERE EVACUATED FROM THEIR SQUATTER HUTS AT KAU WA KENG, KOWLOON, A 19-YEAR-OLD YOUTH WAS WASHED AWAY BY A TORRENT OF WATER IN THE SHEK PIK RESERVOIR CATCHMENT AREA ON LANTAU ISLAND, AND AN ELDERLY WOMAN WAS INJURED WHEN THE WALL OF A KITCHEN COLLAPSED IN TSUEN WAN.

APART FROM A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS, THE WEATHER WAS FINE FROM AUGUST 4 TO 6.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRED FROM AUGUST 7 TO 10, BUT THE WEATHER BECAME FINE AND HOT FROM AUGUST 11 TO 14.

THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURE FOR THE MONTH WAS 33.2 DEGREES CELSIUS REGISTERED ON AUGUST 12.

A WATERSPOUT WAS SIGHTED TO THE NORTHWEST OF MACAU DURING THE EVENING ON AUGUST 13.

SEVERE TROPICAL STORM DOT LANDED IN SOUTH CHINA BETWEEN SHANTOU AND XIAMEN ON AUGUST 15 AND DISSIPATED EARLY ON AUGUST 16. WIDESPREAD THUNDERY SHOWERS AND HEAVY RAIN PREVAILED IN HONG KONG UNTIL AUGUST 19.

DURING THE EIGHT-HOUR PERIOD ENDING AT 1 PM ON AUGUST 16. 238.3 MM OF RAIN WAS REGISTERED, REPRESENTING THE SECOND HIGHEST ON RECORD FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST.

TWO AIRLINE