Landslide kills 18 people in Hong Kong’s Sau Mau Ping – SCMP archive
This article was first published on August 26, 1976. Tragedy hits Sau Mau Ping At least seven people, including four children, were killed by the landslide that hit Sau Mau Ping Estate yesterday (August 25, 1976). Yesterday’s disaster was only a few blocks away from a slope which slipped on June 18, 1972, killing 67 people. Fire Services teams, assisted by the Army, spent the night under search…
On August 25, 1976, a devastating landslide struck Sau Mau Ping Estate in Hong Kong, claiming the lives of at least 18 individuals. Among the victims were four young children. The disaster unfolded hours after another landslide had occurred in the same area in 1972, resulting in 67 fatalities. Fire Services and Army personnel, along with searchlights, worked tirelessly throughout the night to identify and rescue those buried under the massive mudslide that engulfed up to half of the ground floor of Block 9, which housed approximately 1,200 residents.
Governor Sir Murray MacLehose swiftly visited the estate to assess the damage and provide support to the affected families, many of whom were temporarily housed at the Estate Office. Six people sustained injuries, with six of them in stable condition at United Christian Hospital in Kun Tong. The majority of those injured were treated and subsequently discharged.
The landslide resulted in the complete destruction of 10 residential units at the rear of the ground floor and the burial of people in 10 stores on the front of the block. One resident, Mrs. Chow Kwan Kit-kam, described the impact as akin to an earthquake, with her bed shaking violently. The Divisional Fire Officer for East Kowloon, Mr. Lee Kwok-choi, reported that 60 firemen and rescue vehicles from East Kowloon, Tsimshatsui, and Hong Kong were mobilized to the scene.
The rescue efforts faced significant challenges due to persistent rain, which raised concerns about further potential slides.
The Housing Department's Chief Maintenance Surveyor, Mr. R.A. Bates, later inspected the affected areas and confirmed that both Block 9 and Block 15 remained structurally sound and safe. In response to the disaster, the Social Welfare Department's Emergency Relief Team provided hot meals and essential supplies to the affected families.
Food stall operators in a market located atop the slope were ordered to clear their premises, and the market was slated for demolition due to safety concerns. Additionally, fuel tanks near the slope's edge were emptied, and the damaged slope was trimmed back to prevent future incidents. The Home Affairs Department commended the efforts of Mutual Aid Committees and kaifong members who quickly responded to the emergency, assisting injured individuals and evacuating tenants, showcasing exemplary civic responsibility.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post - Hong Kong's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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