Revelers brave elements as world ushers in the new year

Hong Kong celebration

Earlier in Hong Kong, as many as 340,000 people lined Victoria Harbour to kick-start the new year with a fireworks show at midnight, according to police statistics.

They gathered on both sides of the city's harbor to watch a 10-minute synchronized pyromusical of fireworks, light shows and music. The fireworks exploded in front of the Special Administrative Region's iconic skyscrapers with songs sung in Cantonese, Mandarin and English, including the famous New Year's song, Auld Lang Syne.

Among those officiating the celebration event was the city's Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and the central government's top liaison official Wang Zhimin.

Countdown celebrations were also held across the city's commercial districts including Causeway Bay, Lan Kwai Fong and Mong Kok.

In Lan Kwai Fong, the city's most popular area for night life, partygoers packed the pubs and clubs and celebrated all night.

In the city's Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Hong Kong welcomed its first baby of 2019 at 12:17 am, a girl weighing 2.84 kilograms. Soon after was another baby girl who was delivered at Princess Margaret Hospital.

The Macao SAR also hosted its own celebration at one of the city's largest squares－the Praca do Lago Sai Van－near the iconic Macao Tower. About 20,000 people joined the New Year countdown, which also included a fireworks show.

Celebrations were also held at the city's historic port area－the O Porto Interior, attracting about 4,000 people.