HONG KONG – The Hong Kong authorities evacuated some residents from a luxury residential complex after record rains caused a landslide.
They are also investigating the possibility of illegal structures and occupation of government land at the property.
Some residents at Redhill Peninsula – a luxury estate in Hong Kong’s Tai Tam district – had to be evacuated on Saturday after the landslide affected three houses sitting on a slope, Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn said at a news briefing on Sunday.
“Our initial evidence shows that there is indeed some breach of the leases and also unlawful occupation,” Ms Linn said. “But our primary focus at the present moment is to stabilise the slope to ensure public safety.”
Last week, Hong Kong experienced its heaviest rainstorm since records began in 1884.
The topography of the city – roads and buildings built into steep hillsides – makes it vulnerable to flooding and landslides from torrential summer rains that have steadily intensified over time due to climate change.
Illegal structures are a highly talked-about topic in Hong Kong, with the wealthy and government officials sometimes involved in related controversies.
In general, unauthorised building works involve any additions or alterations made to the interior or exterior without prior approval of Hong Kong’s Building Authority.
The city will “proceed with the necessary enforcement against the relevant breaches” once the slope is stabilised, Ms Linn said. BLOOMBERG
South China small businesses start to count cost of record rain from Typhoon Haikui
Hong Kong’s historic storm could cost city at least $136m
Join ST’s Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
p.st_telegram_boilerplate:before {
display: inline-block;
content: ” “;
border-radius: 6px;
height: 6px;
width: 6px;
background-color: #12239a;
margin-left: 0px;
margin-right: 13px;
}
a.st_boilerplate {
font-family: “SelaneWebSTForty”, Georgia, “Times New Roman”, Times, serif;
}