Hikers defy safety warnings at Hong Kong’s country parks, venture through debris left by record black rainstorm

Hikers ignored warnings of safety hazards at Hong Kong’s country parks on Sunday, as they traversed the remnants of landslides and other debris left over from a record-breaking rainstorm that caused flash flooding across the city earlier this month. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department had reminded hikers that many country park trails were temporarily closed following the extreme weather event, and that they should avoiding using them due to safety concerns. One expert said residents should avoid cordoned off areas, which could be vulnerable to further landslides or accidents. As of Sunday morning, about 25 country park trails and other pathways were still marked as closed to the public, according to the department’s website. The city was hit by Super Typhoon Saola earlier this month, followed by its worst rainstorm on record on September 8, which triggered an unprecedented 16-hour black alert and unleashed a quarter of the city’s total annual rainfall in just 24 hours. The downpour resulted in more than 140 people being sent to hospital, sparked flash floods which turned roads into raging rivers and caused at least 39 landslides across the city. The weather has since remained unstable and rainy, with red rainstorm warnings issued twice. Hong Kong counts cost of record-setting rains as public attacks official response At the popular Shing Mun Country Park, landslides and fallen trees had blocked off entire sections of walking paths. But the Post observed dozens of hikers bypassing cordon lines and other barricades on Sunday. Lam Cho-tin, a 70-year-old retiree, was seen crossing over a cordon line set up in the aftermath of a landslide which had cut off the reservoir section of the Shing Mun Forest Track. Lam shrugged off any safety concerns about traversing the terrain. “No problem. There is a pathway you can go around and there is no rain today,” he said, referring to a makeshift path formed by other hikers who had crossed the area previously. What went wrong with Hong Kong’s handling of floods from record rainstorm? Another 68-year-old retiree, who gave his surname as Chan, expressed frustration at authorities for not clearing the debris, before he crossed over the remnants of the same landslide. “The government has not been very quick. It should do more to clear the path,” he said. Although certain sections of the country park were clearly marked as closed, including smaller paths, those walking along some of the larger trails said they were unaware the routes had been declared unsafe. “I didn’t notice any signs saying I couldn’t come here,” said a 40-year-old hiker surnamed Chan who was walking with her friend along the reservoir section of the Shing Mun Forest Track. But she also shrugged off concerns about safety. “This road has been here for 40 to 50 years. If it can last this long, then it isn’t dangerous,” she said. But hikers also headed out on routes that were clearly sealed off. In the span of around 30 minutes, the Post observed two separate elderly hikers beginning the Lung Mun Country Trail, which connects the Shing Mun Country Park to the Tai Mo Shan Country Park. The entrance to the path had been clearly taped off. A government notice said the stone pathway was covered in downed trees and other debris. The Post also observed a group of three hikers having a picnic at the base of an area that had been hit by a landslide near the main dam of the Shing Mun Reservoir. Lobo Louie Hung-tak, senior lecturer in outdoor sports and wilderness experience at the Education University of Hong Kong, said storms had loosened the soil and damaged some of the shale in the country parks, increasing the risk of further landslides. He said the rainstorm had also loosened the roots of many trees, which could cause more of them to fall. “I would suggest recreational hikers not go up to the mountain for a few weeks. They should wait for the soil to become more solid,” he said. “September is still a rainy season in Hong Kong, so waiting until November or after that would be more suitable.” An engineer in his 50s, who only gave his surname Chen, said he and his wife regularly hiked Shing Mun Country Park, adding they would continue along the paths even if they had been sealed off. Hong Kong must revolutionise tree-planting methods to ensure public safety: experts “According to our own assessment, everything is fine,” he said. Other country parks that have had tracks sealed off include Lion Rock, Shek O, Plover Cove, Pat Sin Leng, Tai Tam, Aberdeen, Pok Fu Lam and Lantau South. Hiking accidents have risen sharply in Hong Kong over the past few years, which authorities had attributed to a growing number of Hongkongers taking to the outdoors during the Covid-19 pandemic. Between 2020 and 2022, requests for mountain search and rescue services surged 83% from 328 to 600. There were 12 hiking-related deaths last year, compared with two in 2020. The number of people injured rose from 125 in 2020 to 325 last year.

Hikers defy safety warnings at Hong Kong’s country parks, venture through debris left by record black rainstorm

About 25 country park trails and other pathways are still marked as closed following unprecedented rainstorm ‘The government has not been very quick, they should do more to clear the path,’ one hiker says

About 25 country park trails and other pathways are still marked as closed following unprecedented rainstorm

‘The government has not been very quick, they should do more to clear the path,’ one hiker says