Heavy rain in Guangdong disrupts rail services
High-speed rail services between the city and southern Guangzhou were suspended or redirected yesterday in response to severe weather on the mainland.
The MTR Corporation said authorities across the border had told it of the suspension of Guangzhou South-bound routes G6528, G6516, G6530 and G6536, as well as Hong Kong-bound routes G6527, G6515, G6529 and G6535.
The rail operator added that two routes between the city’s West Kowloon terminus and Guangzhou South, G6510 and G6511, were redirected to Shenzhen North. The company also reminded passengers to check the service’s website at 12306.cn, as well as its own page and mobile app for more details.
The service changes were prompted by heavy rainfall in Guangdong province, where flooding has killed at least four people and displaced tens of thousands.
Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Jiangmen and Yangjiang were among the cities rocked by the severe weather in recent days as rainbands moving south reached the coast.
The National Meteorological Centre said it expected heavy rain to continue to hit Guangdong.
Meanwhile, the local forecaster said the city could expect patches of unstable weather today and this weekend.
At 12.45pm yesterday, the Observatory issued a special weather notice, warning of strong winds after gusts of about 70km/h were recorded at Tai O.
“Intense gusts may continue to affect Hong Kong. Seek safe shelter as soon as possible if you are staying outdoors,” it said.
Residents had been braced for thunder and some heavy showers since yesterday morning, following advice from the Observatory to be on alert.
The forecaster predicted some heavy showers and also squally thunderstorms into the weekend. “With the trough of low pressure moving away early next week, showers will ease off slightly over the region,” the Observatory said.
“Another trough of low pressure is expected to bring unsettled weather to southern China midweek next week.”
A warning signal was also issued at 8.15am and extended until 1.30pm, indicating that squally thunderstorms were expected to occur over the city.
Temperatures for the coming nine days were predicted to range between 24 and 30 degrees Celsius.
As an example of the unstable weather, the forecaster had warned late on Wednesday that hail might affect the city, amid an area of intense thundery showers to the west of the Pearl River Delta gradually moving eastward.
Hailstones are large ice pellets formed in severe thunderstorms.
During the current unsettled weather, the Observatory has issued multiple amber storm warnings.
Under this warning, heavy rain can cause flooding in certain areas of the city.