Sessional_Paper_1927 — Page 5

C.S.O. 796/26.

HONG KONG.

No.

1 1927

Laid before the Legislative Council by Command of His Excellency

the Governor, on the 25th February, 1927.

On the morning of 18th July, 1926, a typhoon entered the coast of the mainland of China one hundred miles to the East of Hong Kong and was followed on the 19th idem by a torrential rainfall and thunderstorm causing extensive damage to many parts of the Colony.

So heavy, indeed, was the rainfall that 20.015 inches was recorded within the short space of eight hours. This record has not been approached since 30th May, 1898, when a fall of 20.493 inches was registered in sixteen hours,

This terrific deluge falling upon precipitous country caused tons of earth, boulders, sand and silt to be washed down the hillsides blocking and bursting numerous nullahs and channels, with the consequent flooding of the main roads of the City, the water finding its way into houses and godowns causing heavy damage. In several cases private houses were severely shaken necessitating shoring, but fortunately no collapse occurred.

An instance showing the severity of the storm was the falling of a very large boulder weighing approximately 3,000 tons, which for years had safely stood the action of heavy rains. In its fall it crashed into the Government Waterworks Pumping Station at Pokfulam Road 250 feet below, damaging the main engine and breaking through portions of the rising mains which supply the Peak District. Unfortunately four Chinese workmen who were at the time in the building lost their lives, and four others received injuries.

As an illustration of the volume and force of the water, evidence is furnished by the Glenealy Nullah, a covered portion of which lies under Pedder Street-one of the principal thoroughfares of the City-which burst forcing a palm tree upwards through the granite slabs covering the nullah, and the concrete surface of the road, where it remained stand- ing in an upright position. This tree must have been washed down from the hillsides and carried a considerable distance underground before the nullah burst owing to choking.

One of the bridges of the Cable Tramway to the Peak was broken and the service interrupted. The motor roads to the Peak and around the Island were impassable owing to many landslides and wash-outs.

The Naval Yard, Military Barracks, and Public Recreation Grounds also suffered serverely from deposits of boulders and silt.