A newly launched public umbrella-sharing programme encountered an unexpected logistical challenge when virtually its entire inventory disappeared within twenty-four hours.

Hundreds of umbrellas were installed at transport stations Monday morning as part of an initiative allowing residents to borrow them during bad weather and return them afterward.

There was no rain Monday.

By Tuesday morning, there were also no umbrellas.

Officials said the programme should not yet be considered a failure, arguing that the speed at which residents adopted the umbrellas demonstrated exceptionally strong public engagement.

Replacement umbrellas will soon be deployed alongside clearer instructions explaining the meaning of the word "borrow."

Officials are cautiously optimistic.

Meteorologists are less so.