HKO - Under the Same Sky 130 Years - Display Area 8
Display Area 8 : Natural Disasters after WWII
Display Area Introduction
A number of tropical cyclones brought severe damage and incurred casualties in Hong Kong after World War II, among which the most disastrous were Typhoon Wanda in September 1962 and Typhoon Rose in August 1971. Over 100 people were killed by each. Apart from the storm surges, rows of squatters collapsed, resulting in heavy casualties.
Other than tropical cyclones, Hong Kong is frequented by rainstorms resulting from troughs of low pressure and the southwest summer monsoons. For instance, the rainstorms of June 1966 and June 1972 each caused landslides which resulted in severe casualties.
Serious droughts have also been recorded in Hong Kong history, with 1963 being the worst year when only 901 millimetres of rainfall were recorded, a record which remains unbroken to this day. As a result, the Hong Kong government had to implement water rationing measures in the form of water supply for only four hours every four days throughout the year.
The record breaking Typhoon Wanda of 1962 hit Hong Kong after World War II. These charts show that maximum gust reached 259 kilometres per hour at the Observatory whereas the lowest air pressure was 953.2 hecto Pascal. Both remain unbroken records.
A capsized car on Hong Kong Island after devastating Typhoon Wanda. In the early days, not every typhoon was given a name. Since 1952, female names were used by the Observatory for typhoon naming with male names added in 1979. Starting from 2000, typhoon names are no longer limited to female or male and can be endowed with regional characteristics. Collection of Information Services Department
In 1963, Hong Kong experienced a severe drought. This photograph shows citizens queuing for fresh water on streets when water supply was restricted.
Collection of Information Services Department
Collection of Information Services Department
The series of rainstorms on 16-18 June 1972 led to serious landslides in Hong Kong with nearly 150 reported dead. One of the tragedies occurred in Mid-Levels, Hong Kong Island where the 12-storey Kotewall Court building was demolished by landslide debris from upslope of Kotewall Road. The upper part of an adjacent block of Greenview Gardens was also seriously damaged.
Collection of Information Services Department
Typhoon Ellen smashed Hong Kong on 9 September 1983, killing 10 with 12 people reported missing. Many sea-going vessels were stranded. This photograph shows a big wave hitting the waterfront of Kennedy Town.
Photo by South China Morning Post
