Flooding hits Sha Tin and Tai Po as northeast monsoon coincides with high tide
Flooding struck parts of Sha Tin and Tai Po on Wednesday night as the northeast monsoon and an astronomical high tide caused water levels to rise slightly above normal, with a cycle track submerged and a pedestrian subway flooded.
Water levels in Hong Kong were slightly higher than normal on Wednesday night due to the northeast monsoon and an astronomical high tide, with photos and videos circulating online showing flooding in parts of Sha Tin and Tai Po.
In Sha Tin, a cycle track near Yuen Wo Playground by the Shing Mun River was reportedly submerged after river water spilled onto the path, with the water appearing about 10cm deep and people wading through. A netizen said they encountered the flooded cycle track while running in Sha Tin, describing it as the first time they had seen such a situation.
In Tai Po, a pedestrian subway was shown with standing water and a warning sign advising the public not to enter due to flooding risk. The netizen said they had to take a detour home. According to Observatory data, the water level at Tai Po Kau reached 3.16 metres at 10.26pm on Wednesday.
The Observatory said a strong northeast monsoon affected the coast of Guangdong on Wednesday, with Hong Kong generally cloudy and a couple of rain patches in the morning. It said water levels were slightly higher than normal on Wednesday night due to the monsoon and astronomical high tide, and expected generally sunny weather over Guangdong on Thursday and Friday as the monsoon moderates and a high-altitude anticyclone strengthens.