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Peace Chiu

In September last year, Typhoon Mangkhut wreaked havoc in Hong Kong, felling at least 46,000 trees, smashing hundreds of windows and leaving more than 1,000 roads blocked.
Eight months since the most intense typhoon in Hong Kong’s history, most things have returned to normal.
But over in Siu Sai Wan, Hong Kong’s second-largest stadium remains closed to both athletes and the public, its stands still surrounded by scaffolding.
The extended closure has stirred up a storm among athletes and nearby residents in Hong Kong Island’s northeastern corner, with many concerned that Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground remains vulnerable as this year’s typhoon season nears.


The storm flooded the sports ground, and severely damaged its power supply, roof, track, infield and grass pitch.
Alan Cheng, a member of a running club that trains at the stadium, said he had to go to Tai Koo for training.
“I hope they can repair the stadium quickly,” he said. “I am worried because I heard the repair work will last until July or August and that is when the typhoons might hit Hong Kong again.”
Cheng said he wished authorities would consider partially reopening the stadium if it is safe, as the running track had been fixed, while the stands were still being repaired.

A Siu Sai Wan resident who wished to be known by her surname So said residents had been inconvenienced by the closure.
“There are not many places to exercise in Siu Sai Wan. A lot of us in our 50s and 60s, who are retirees or housewives, like to go to the stadium to walk or run as it is more spacious there,” she said.
A track-and-field representative for a school in the nearby Chai Wan area, who wished to be known as Kwok, was worried he might struggle in his next competition.




He now uses a straight 100-metre track outside the stadium, which is designed for jogging.
“Sometimes we need to run 200 metres or 300 metres for our competition, so this 100-metre track is not so suitable and there are many people walking on this track too,” he said.
But Kwok, who had won a bronze medal at an interschool competition before, said he had to make do with what was available at the stadium, because other similar facilities were too far away.
After battering by Typhoon Mangkhut, new storm defences for Hong Kong
A spokesman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department said the sports ground was closed during the repairs because of public safety. He added that improvements to the roof – originally scheduled for the first quarter of this year – were brought forward to December 2018 to happen at the same time as the wider repairs.
The ground was expected to reopen in mid-2019, he said, without giving a specific date. The closure had affected 73 events, including school athletic meets and training activities, he added.
Opened in December 1996, Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground has international-standard athletics facilities and a standard grass pitch suitable for football, rugby and archery.

With a capacity of 11,981, the stadium is also one of only three in Hong Kong that can host Fifa World Cup qualifiers.
The sports ground was forced to close for 19 days in August and September 2017 for repairs after another No. 10 signal typhoon, Hato, hit Hong Kong and flooded the venue.
The Observatory said in March it expected four to seven typhoons to come within 500km of the city this year and the storms could arrive in June or after.
The spokesman said the department planned to build a sturdy boundary wall outside the stadium’s existing perimeter fence, to guard against floods.
Ngai Hok-yan, a veteran structural and geotechnical engineer, noted that – unlike Victoria Harbour – Siu Sai Wan does not have mountains to protect it from high winds. As such, the area tends to be affected by typhoons, he added.

Ngai noted that flood barriers were a possible solution for the stadium, but added that their effect on air circulation, which might not be good for the pitch, should be taken into consideration.
A maritime expert, who wished to remain anonymous, said the technology existed to have the barriers embedded in the ground and deployed when necessary, or there was the option of concrete planks or steel plates that can be manually fixed before a storm.


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Typhoon Mangkhut

Eight months on, Hong Kong’s Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground has still not recovered from Typhoon Mangkhut

The government said the stadium was expected to reopen in mid-2019. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Flood at Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground under Typhoon Mangkhut (Typhoon No.10). Photo: Handout

Image of the Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground. 09MAY19 SCMP / Xiaomei Chen

Give Hong Kong workers better protection against employer reprisals for absences after typhoons, trade union tells government

Fallen trees cause roadblocks at Diamond Hill after Typhoon Mangkhut hit Hong Kong on Sunday September 16, 2018. Photo: Winson Wong

Commuters were stranded for hours at Kowloon Tong MTR Station on the early morning on Monday September 17, 2018 after Typhoon Mangkhut hit Hong Kong on Sunday September 16, 2018 causing disruptions on some train lines. 17SEP18 SCMP / Winson Wong

Commuters were stranded for hours at Tai Wai MTR Station on the early morning on Monday September 17, 2018 after Typhoon Mangkhut hit Hong Kong on Sunday September 16, 2018 causing disruptions on some train lines. 17SEP18 SCMP / Felix Wong

Two-hour grace period for Hong Kong employees to return to work after extreme weather aims to avoid transport chaos of Typhoon Mangkhut

Fallen trees on Kwai Chung Road after Typhoon Mangkhut in September. Photo: Felix Wong

Images of collapsed trees on a pavement on Tin Ping Road in Sheung Shui after Typhoon Mangkhut hit Hong Kong on September 16, 2018. 20SEP18 SCMP / Sam Tsang

Commuters were stranded for hours at Tai Wai MTR Station on the early morning on Monday September 17, 2018 after Typhoon Mangkhut hit Hong Kong on Sunday September 16, 2018 causing disruptions on some train lines. 17SEP18 SCMP / Sam Tsang

Dog shelter ‘dismantled’ by Typhoon Mangkhut gets boost from CrossFit gym swapping barbells for puppies

CrossFit Asphodel has an annual charity competition. This year, they raised money for Catherine’s Puppies, which had it’s woof damaged in Typhoon Mangkhut. Photos: CrossFit Asphodel

CrossFit Asphodel has an annual charity competition. This year, they raised money for Catherine's Puppies, which has dismantled in the typhoon mangkhut

Crossfit Asphodal in Kennedy Town hosts a charity competition to raise money for a puppies charity. 13APR19 SCMP / Jonathan Wong

News

Hong Kong

Health & Environment

The most intense typhoon in Hong Kong’s history severely damaged the power supply, roof, track and grass pitch at Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground
Local residents are inconvenienced by its continued closure – and worried about the next typhoon season


The most intense typhoon in Hong Kong’s history severely damaged the power supply, roof, track and grass pitch at Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground. Local residents are inconvenienced by its continued closure – and worried about the next typhoon season.


Eight months on, Hong Kong’s Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground has still not recovered from Typhoon Mangkhut

The most intense typhoon in Hong Kong’s history severely damaged the power supply, roof, track and grass pitch at Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground Local residents are inconvenienced by its continued closure – and worried about the next typhoon season

The most intense typhoon in Hong Kong’s history severely damaged the power supply, roof, track and grass pitch at Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground

Local residents are inconvenienced by its continued closure – and worried about the next typhoon season