Weslie, a 49-year-old homeless man, sits among his belongings in a pedestrian tunnel in Causeway Bay after a cold weather warning was announced. Photo: Antony DicksonMany homeless people looked for overnight shelter as temperatures fell in Hong Kong in late January. Those forced to sleep on the streets were left shivering outdoors.
The government opened 18 temporary shelters across the city for people in need. The shelters offer mattresses, blankets, quilts, hot meals, and water.
Some people living in subdivided flats also visited the shelters to stay overnight for hot food and a larger space to sleep.
Outside a shelter in Causeway Bay, a dozen homeless people set up tents, using boxes and other items to create makeshift shelters.
Ambrose, a 60-year-old who lost his home and job during the Covid-19 pandemic, came to a shelter after he heard it was open and planned to stay overnight.
“I slept in a cupboard near here under a bridge. I come here when it is too cold or hot,” said Ambrose.
The latest data from the Social Welfare Department showed Hong Kong had 800 homeless people in 2023, down from 1,500 in the previous two years. As of October last year, the number of registered street sleepers was 606.
However, some community organisations helping the homeless say the figures might not reflect reality, as many prefer not to be registered.