Hong Kong has been continuously affected by heavy rain recently. According to the Observatory, the past July was gloomier and rainier than usual, with a total monthly rainfall of 790.3 millimeters—more than double the normal amount—making it the second rainiest July since records began in 1884.
As reported by Sing Tao Daily, a roughly 32-second video has been circulating online, though the filming date is unknown. The video shows some hikers, suspected to be at Ho Pui Reservoir during flood discharge. Despite the raging torrent, they riskily climbed over barriers and approached the area below the dam for photos, sparking criticism from netizens after the footage came to light.
The footage shows four hikers near the bottom of the Ho Pui Reservoir dam. Among them, a man and a woman appear to have climbed over the railings and then walked down the steps to the area below the dam. Judging from the footage, the dam seemed to be discharging floodwaters at the time, with a large volume of water gushing down from the top—extremely forceful. The man was later seen reaching the bottom of the dam, while the woman stood on a metal ladder, extending her right arm. The man appeared to signal to the other two companions for help taking photos. Since the two were right next to the rushing water, a misstep or being knocked over by the current could have resulted in them being swept away.
During this, a woman on the scene repeatedly called out warnings, urging them not to get closer, saying, “Don’t go down there, it’s very dangerous.” The video later pans to the waterway below the dam, showing torrents of water surging like rapids. The date of the footage remains unknown.
The video’s online circulation sparked discussion, with netizens criticizing those involved for ignoring safety, leaving comments like “Risking their lives just for a social media post.” Some suggested penalties should be imposed for such behavior.