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Beijing, June 28 (EFE) — The Hong Kong Stock Exchange was forced to suspend its morning session on Monday after the city’s weather bureau issued a Black Rainstorm Warning amid a strong storm, according to a statement from the exchange.
Hong Kong’s first Black warning, the highest, of 2021 was issued at 8:20 am and if extended, trading would be suspended before the afternoon session.
However, the black warning was replaced at 11:05 AM with a lower red warning, followed by an orange warning, and the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) confirmed that trading in its securities and derivatives markets would resume at 1:30 PM.
The Hong Kong Observatory warned that heavy rains could cause flash flooding and urged people to stay indoors and away from watercourses.
According to public broadcaster RTHK, more than 70 millimeters of rain fell in many places in the morning, with more than 150 millimeters over Hong Kong Island West, Lantau and Lamma.
“Thunderstorm activity was quite active this morning, with more than 3,000 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes recorded in Hong Kong,” Senior Scientific Officer Lin Ping-wah said in the report, adding that heavy rain would hit the area for some time to come.
Vaccinations were also suspended, schools were closed and all court and tribunal hearings were adjourned, and court and tribunal clerks and offices were closed following the issuance of the Black warning. EFE
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