A new advocacy group is calling for a government task force to address safety issues of squatter huts made all the more apparent by the recent signal No 10 typhoon.
The Squatter Huts Concern Group urged the administration to tackle this long-standing problem by either phasing the structures out or improving their condition.
The call came after Severe Typhoon Vicente wreaked havoc across the city a fortnight ago, causing extensive damage to squatter huts in various areas, including Tai Po, where there was at least one report of a hut's roof being blown away.
'Some squatter huts are covered with old banners to prevent water getting in,' said Yau Wing-kwong, a member. 'The temperature in one of the squatter huts we visited was as high as 50 degrees Celsius.'
He estimates that there are 10,000 squatter huts inhabited by indigenous people, minority groups or new immigrants in Hong Kong. They are mainly made of iron and asbestos sheeting and wood.
Yau said the inhabitants could only use the same sorts of construction material to repair their huts rather than more durable materials.