Flood Victims Rescued in Hong Kong
The Associated Press
Saturday, June 9, 2001; 4:38 AM

HONG KONG –– Firefighters used helicopters and several dinghies to save at least 12 people stranded by floods caused by torrential rain Saturday.

The rescue workers lifted nine people trapped on rooftops in a village in the northern suburbs and saved three workers from another village.

A government spokesman said there had been reports of 23 flooding cases, but none had caused serious injuries. The pouring rain forced the closure of schools.

firefighters waded through chest-deep water to reach the stranded villagers, mostly women and elderly people. Rainwater failed to drain from low-lying areas and dozens of people were evacuated from several villages.

"We're in big trouble tonight. We don't even know where to stay," said one villager, who only gave his surname as Wan, on television.

The Hong Kong Observatory recorded rainfall of more than 80 inches in the worst-hit rural areas.


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