Fact-Checking HK Officials on Flooding

A shopping mall in Chai Wan flooded with muddy water

Hong Kong continues its massive clean-up after the apocalyptic rainstorm that deluged the city, though people are questioning the government's response -- or lack thereof -- in warning residents to prepare in advance.

But Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu described the rainstorm as "once in 100 years", while his deputy Eric Chan Kwok-ki said it was a "once-in-500 years" rainstorm.  

Who is right?

Lee appears at Yiu Tung Estate in Shau Kei Wan

Journalistically it is correct to say the worst rainstorm since 1884 when records of rain levels were kept.

How can Chan say 500 years when no one was around then to measure the water levels if there even was a torrential rainstorm in 1523 during the Ming dynasty?

Perhaps Chan likes to stretch the truth to be more dramatic and claim this was a one-off?

Regardless he and Lee should look into a phenomenon called climate change and how there will be more incidents of either more drought and wildfires, or more powerful rainstorms and flooding.

That rainstorm was not a once in a century. There will be more to come.

You have been forewarned.