HONG KONG: A China Eastern Airlines plane slid off the runway while landing at Hong Kong International Airport amid a downpour on Wednesday morning.

According to the Airport Authority, flight MU765 was arriving from Nanjing on the south runway at about 10.30am when it veered off the tarmac.

The Hong Kong Observatory had issued a red rainstorm warning at the time, meaning heavy rain exceeding 50mm in an hour had fallen or was expected to fall. At 11.30am it upgraded the warning to a black signal, an indication of 70mm in an hour.

An Airport Authority spokesman said the plane slid but managed to come to a stop on grass next to the runway. No casualties have been reported.

“Due to the incident, operations on the north runway have been suspended, but the operation of the south runway remains normal,” he said.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the incident.

The Observatory said 20mm to 30mm of rainfall had been recorded at Chek Lap Kok, where the airport is located, between 10.45am and 11.45am. – South China Morning Post