Rainstorm causes minor flooding in districts

Classes of all levels were suspended yesterday afternoon following the rainstorm signal issued by the Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG).
Schools were also advised to ensure that their premises were kept open and that staff were available to look after students who had already arrived and to arrange appropriate activities for them. Parents were advised against rushing to schools to pick up their children.
Some videos circulating on social media showed that minor flooding occurred around Inner Harbor, where waters had also entered some iconic stores and eateries. Meanwhile, an image taken by lawmaker Sulu Sou’s office, which is located blocks away from the coast of the Inner Harbor, also showed minor flooding.
The Oriental Arch in ZAPE was also flooded, causing inconvenience to drivers passing by.
The rainstorm warning signal was issued at 10:40 a.m. although it had already been raining heavily by around 9 a.m. yesterday. The rainstorm warning signal was stopped at 1:35 p.m.
The bundle of measures that the government formerly presented as solutions to severe weather conditions included works such as the construction of flood barriers (levees). This planned deployment will include the Inner Harbor district, although the Marine and Water Bureau (DSAMA) acknowledged in October 2018 that this could only be done after 2021. In April 2019, officials said that these projects were on hold and pending the results of further studies and analysis. LV