Scaffolding Collapse from Typhoon Kills One

Thirty floors of bamboo scaffolding collapsed in Happy Valley

Around dinner time last night the rain started to fall and it continued to rain all day today as Tropical Storm Lionrock approached the city. The Hong Kong Observatory put up the T3 signal and in the morning the heavy rains resulted in a black rainstorm warning around 11.45am, which means people should shelter indoors as quickly as possible.

But that came too late for one 55-year-old woman who was working on the renovations of a high rise building in Happy Valley, as 30 floors worth of bamboo scaffolding collapsed from the heavy rain and strong winds. She and another female construction worker were taken to hospital, but the former died on arrival. 

Rescuers found two women, but one died later

Another male worker was rescued safely from the scaffolding wreckage while two drivers managed to get out before firefighters arrived.

Assistant divisional officer Wong Ka-ho of the Fire Services Department said 18 fire engines and eight ambulances were sent to the scene after receiving a report at 10.16am.

He said firefighters spent an hour and 20 minutes trying to rescue the woman, who was unconscious when they finally reached her.

Wong said the sheer number of bamboo poles and the amount of debris "hampered our efforts to find and rescue her and the passage to reach her was narrow", adding the operation was compounded by the bad weather, with firefighters under threat from further collapse of scaffolding.

One homeowner said the black rainstorm warning should have been issued earlier to suspend building work before people were on-site.

There will be more heavy rain this weekend

"The company concerned should have really cancelled the work day for its staff under these conditions," he said.

Some residents said the scaffolding had been in place for a year to renovate the facades, lobbies and recreational facilities.  

On Twitter there were lots of video clips of flooded streets, a bus driver plowing through flooded roads resulting in dirty water coming into the bus, and water dripping from the ceiling of an MTR carriage.

It's midnight now but Lionrock is expected to be closest to Hong Kong in the morning which means more heavy rains this weekend.

There's another typhoon coming on Wednesday...

HK's Short T8 and Lau Wong-fat

Tropical cyclone Roke came and went through Hong Kong today

Yesterday was so hot and humid, it was a sign a typhoon may be coming. Late last night it was T1 and I didn't think much of it.

But this morning it was already T3 and I got a text message from the Hong Kong Observatory, saying it would be T8 by 9.20am with Roke making landfall at Sai Kung East Country Park at 10am.

The T8 signal didn't feel serious this time around

That was such a surprise -- I didn't see that coming at all. So I stayed at home all morning and afternoon, and by 3.10pm the signal was lowered to T3.

I decided to go for a swim and the outdoor pool at Kennedy Town wasn't open, but the indoor ones were. It wasn't packed, but I had to weave around people in the smaller pool.

There was no rain at all, a bit windy outside and I finished the rest of my shopping and came home.

But by 7.30pm it was pouring rain when I went out for a late dinner in Central. Luckily I brought my big umbrella with me, but I should have worn boots. However within 10 minutes in the MTR, the rain had subsided in Central.

After dinner at 10.30pm it was pouring again in Central -- even harder than before. There was no choice but to get wet even under an umbrella. And then back in Kennedy town there was very light rain even though there is amber rainstorm warning. So bizarre!

Heung Kee Kuk strongman Lau Wong-fat has died

The next two days are expected to be unsettled followed by really hot sunny days Friday may see showers and then sunshine again on the weekend. Or that could all change tomorrow.

In other news, former Heung Yee Kuk leader Lau Wong-fat has passed away at the age of 80. He has been ill for a while.

For 35 years he represented the indigenous residents of the New Territories, and became known for his fight to include an article in the Basic Law to ensure that indigenous interests were still protected after 1997.

This includes the small three-storey houses they build and allows every male child to do the same, while the rest of us are crammed into shoeboxes in the sky everywhere else.

A few government officials previously dared to stare down Lau and his gang, but retreated with their tails between their legs. Are they really that threatening? Apparently so...

However, Lau's son, Kenneth Lau Ip-keung has taken over as leader, though he has yet to bare his teeth like his father.

May be now the government can really start pushing the housing agenda forward to make it more equitable for everyone...