1966 Hong Kong rainstorm kills 64 in catastrophic flood
A single hour dumped 4.36 inches of rain, the heaviest ever recorded
On June 12, 1966, Hong Kong endured one of its deadliest rainstorms, with 64 confirmed deaths, 32 missing, and 33 injured. The storm unleashed 78 landslides that wrecked homes and blocked roads, leaving more than 600 people homeless. Among the dead were two SCMP journalists, John A. Stuart and Kevin William Murphy, who were swept away while crossing a flooded section of Magazine Gap Road. The Royal Observatory reported 15.06 inches of rain in the 24 hours ending midnight – 4.36 inches fell in a single hour between 7 am and 8 am, the heaviest hourly rainfall ever recorded in any month since observations began in 1884.
Cars were swept down streets like toys as underground sewers overflowed, sending geysers of floodwater into already submerged roads. The total rainfall since January 1 had reached 57.47 inches – nearly double the average of 29.36 inches for that period. The disaster remains a stark reminder of Hong Kong's vulnerability to extreme weather, with today's infrastructure built on lessons learned from such catastrophic events.
- 64 people died, 32 missing, 33 injured in the June 12, 1966 rainstorm
- 78 landslides destroyed homes, leaving 600 homeless
- 4.36 inches of rain fell in one hour – a record since 1884
- Two SCMP editors washed away while crossing Magazine Gap Road
Why It Matters
This historical flood reshaped Hong Kong's disaster preparedness and urban planning for extreme weather events.