Hospital services at Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong resume following Pok Fu Lam flooding incident
In the heart of Hong Kong's Pok Fu Lam neighborhood, Tuesday, August 5, 2025, saw a dramatic turn of events as intense weather conditions, driven by a strong southwest monsoon and upper-air disturbances near the Pearl River Estuary, led to record-breaking rainfall[1][4]. The rainstorm was so severe that it warranted an 11-hour black rainstorm warning from the Hong Kong Observatory, making it the second-longest such warning in the city's history[4].
The storm had a significant impact on Queen Mary Hospital, with severe flooding reported in various parts of the hospital compound[1][2][3]. Roads within the hospital grounds were submerged, with ankle- to calf-deep water accumulating around the main building and the Accident & Emergency (A&E) Department[1][2][3]. The flooding also affected the ground floor of the hospital, where wheelchairs and beds were parked, and blocked access to hospital buildings[2].
As a result, emergency services had to temporarily divert ambulance patients from Queen Mary Hospital to Ruttonjee Hospital in Wan Chai[1][2][3][5]. This diversion led to a temporary suspension of emergency services at Queen Mary Hospital, impacting patient care for approximately four hours[4].
Efforts to manage the flooding included the deployment of pumps, sandbag placements, and the involvement of firefighters and Drainage Services Department personnel to drain water and clear flooded areas[1][3][5]. Despite these efforts, the situation was severe, with multiple water barricades floating in the deluge outside Queen Mary Hospital[1].
However, by around noon on the same day, the floodwaters had largely subsided, roads reopened, and the hospital’s A&E services resumed normal operations after coordinated cleanup and drainage efforts[2][3][5]. The Hospital Authority reported that the severe flooding had indeed affected operations at Queen Mary Hospital's A&E department[1].
It's worth noting that the flooding at Queen Mary Hospital was part of widespread disruptions affecting several districts in Hong Kong, turning roads into rivers and causing landslip warnings, reflecting the severity and scale of the storm[1][4].
In conclusion, the flooding at Queen Mary Hospital was a result of intense weather conditions linked to a strong monsoon and atmospheric disturbances, severely disrupting both hospital operations and transportation in the Pok Fu Lam area. However, through coordinated response efforts, emergency services were restored within hours, ensuring the continuity of patient care.
- The intense weather conditions, affecting both Queen Mary Hospital's operations and the Pok Fu Lam area, emphasize the potential impact of science (meteorology) on health-and-wellness.
- While the weather conditions on August 5, 2025, caused significant disruptions, the rapid response from emergency services and the Drainage Services Department can be seen as an example of effective health-and-wellness management in times of meteorological crises.
