This article reviews Hong Kong’s rapid improvements in flood resilience following the record-breaking storms and devastating floods of 2023.
It summarizes the Drainage Services Department’s expanded strategy, infrastructure spending increases, new technologies like flood sensors and machine-learning CCTV detection, private-sector actions, and the broader lessons for urban flood risk management under climate change.
Why Hong Kong’s flood resilience has become a national priority
Hong Kong’s geography and climate make it uniquely vulnerable to fast-onset urban flooding. Dense urban areas nestle against steep slopes, and the city routinely experiences very high annual rainfall.
A combination of intense storms and clogged drains can produce sudden, dangerous floods that overwhelm infrastructure and businesses.
What the Drainage Services Department (DSD) has changed
The DSD, which manages some 2,800 kilometers of drains, has doubled its annual stormwater drainage spending to HK$3.17 billion (US$407 million) over the past two years.
The agency has invested more than HK$32 billion since its establishment. It has also reshaped its operational approach to meet climate-driven challenges.
Key operational adjustments include the identification of 240 blockage-prone drains and a doubling of emergency response teams.
Procurement of mobile equipment has helped speed incident resolution. All reported flood incidents last year were cleared within two hours.
Technology is central to the new strategy. The DSD has deployed 100 flood sensors with plans for expansion.
It is testing machine-learning models that detect flooding from CCTV feeds, enabling faster, data-driven responses. Nine mobile pumping units have been procured to quickly address blockages and reduce localized inundation.
Private-sector and transport operator action
The private sector has also stepped up, recognizing that public infrastructure alone cannot eliminate all risk.
For example, Link REIT invested HK$8 million in flood defenses after severe losses at one of its malls in 2023. Businesses are increasingly investing in site-specific measures to reduce downtime and financial loss.
Rail operator MTR Corp. has installed flood sensors at more than 30 high-risk stations and introduced new emergency protocols to improve passenger safety and service resilience.
These investments reduce system-wide disruption and lower the indirect economic impacts of floods.
Lessons for urban flood resilience going forward
Hong Kong’s approach provides practical lessons for other cities confronting intensifying rainfall under climate change.
Spending on large-scale infrastructure is necessary but not sufficient. Operational readiness, real-time monitoring, and collaboration with the private sector are equally important.
Key takeaways include:
Experts caution that governments must balance reassuring the public with transparent communication about unavoidable risks.
Investments, technologies, and protocols reduce harm but do not eliminate it. Clear public messaging and targeted adaptation remain essential.
Hong Kong’s experience demonstrates that a layered approach — combining capital works, smart monitoring, agile operations, and private-sector action — materially improves resilience.
For cities planning next-generation flood strategies, the city offers a pragmatic blueprint for reducing both immediate damage and long-term vulnerability.
Here is the source article for this story: The Future of Flood-Fighting Is Being Charted in Hong Kong