Hong Kong - Hong Kong's worst rainstorm on record, which saw 145 millimetres of rain fall in a single hour, cost the wealthy city 75 million US dollars, according to a report issued Monday. The environmental group Greenpeace conducted a detailed survey into the cost of the June 7, 2008 storm, and said it showed Hong Kong needed a comprehensive policy to tackle global warming.
The damages included 15.4 million US dollars related to landslides in 25 locations, nearly 300,000 US dollars for 22 injuries and accidents and 12.4 million US dollars for flight cancellations.
"The extreme rainfall Hong Kong suffered last June and the associated high costs will become a horrific normality if no action is taken to stop the climate crisis," Koo Wai Muk, climate campaigner for the group, said.
"Greenpeace calls on the chief executive Donald Tsang to tackle the problem by urgently drawing up a climate-change policy and to keep his promise to transform Hong Kong into a low-carbon economy."
The was no immediate response to the report from Hong Kong's Beijing-appointed administration, which has been accused in the past of being weak on environmental issues.
Hong Kong, a high-rise city of 7 million, has one of the world's greatest carbon footprints. Campaigns by green groups to use less lights and turn down air conditioners have received only lukewarm public response.
