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       Hong Kong on Thursday night experienced the most rainfall in an hour since records began 140 years ago, leading to flash flooding that turned streets into raging rivers that looked better suited to white-water rafting than city living.

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       Hong Kong weather authorities issued a black warning, an alert that more than 70 millimeters (2.75 inches) of rain was expected to fall in an hour, at 11:05 p.m. Thursday.

       More than double that amount came down — the Hong Kong Observatory said that 158.1 mm (6.22 inches) of rain fell at its headquarters between 11 p.m. and midnight, according to the South China Morning Post.

       JUST IN: Hong Kong just recorded its heaviest hourly rainfall on record with 158.1 mm [6.2 inches] between 11 PM and midnight (HKT). Records date back to 1884 (139 years ago). A rare “Black Rainstorm Warning Signal” has been issued by the HKO observatory. pic.twitter.com/KWtyWbqUmd

       — Nahel Belgherze (@WxNB_) September 7, 2023

       In Chai Wan, Hong Kong, under the heavy rain of 150 mm in one hour, the streets have turned into raging rivers! pic.twitter.com/nZrG1t8cQG

       — Jim yang (@yangyubin1998) September 7, 2023

       In other parts of Hong Kong — Kowloon, the northeastern New Territories and Hong Kong Island — more than 200 mm (7.87 inches) of rainfall was recorded between 6 p.m. and midnight, the paper reported.

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       Photos and video shared on social media showed flooded streets, inundated subway stations and swamped city buses.

       Water poured into the Cross-Harbor Tunnel, which connects Hong Kong Island with Kowloon, clogging up one of the city’s essential arteries.

       Early Friday morning, the Hong Kong city government announced that schools would be closed all day, and only essential employees should report to work.

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       The Hong Kong Stock Exchange did not open for trading Friday morning. Trading would be suspended for the entire day while the government’s extreme-conditions warning remained in effect, according to the exchange’s guidelines.

       More than 20 buses were stranded across the city on Friday morning, according to the South China Morning Post, and the city’s three main bus carriers suspended service until further notice. The metro remained largely operational.

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       Heavy rain was also reported in southern China, including in Shenzhen. The region has been battered by two typhoons in two weeks, with Saola and Haikui wreaking havoc across Taiwan and southern China.

       Schools were closed Friday in Shenzhen, Zhuhai and parts of Guangzhou and Foshan.

       Authorities in Shenzhen warned people Friday morning not to enter the central Longgang district, according to local media. People and businesses on ground floors of buildings in the district were urged to evacuate.

       Social media posts showed that flooding overnight in Longgang had left dozens of vehicles swamped at major intersections.

       The Shenzhen reservoir was reportedly discharged, potentially worsening flooding in parts of northern Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government announced the release only 16 minutes before it took place, according to local media reports.

       Vic Chiang in Taipei, Taiwan, contributed to this report.

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