Tropical storm Podul drenches southern China

Rainwater rushes down a stairway in Kennedy Town district during heavy rainfall in Hong Kong, China, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. The Hong Kong Observatory issued the black rainstorm signal on Aug 14 as Tropical Storm Podul passed to the north-east of the city, the fifth time this year that the observatory has had to raise its most severe rainstorm warning. - Bloomberg

BEIJING: Tropical storm Podul drenched southern China on Thursday (Aug 14), dumping more than 70 mm of rain an hour on parts of the provinces of Guangdong, Hunan and Jiangxi and disrupting hospitals and law courts in Hong Kong.

The Asian financial hub issued its highest-level "black" weather warning, adjourning the hearing of Hong Kong media tycoon and pro-democracy advocate Jimmy Lai until the torrential rain subsides, as a queue formed outside the court for the public gallery.