A coroner yesterday called for tougher legislation on slope safety after hearing how a woman was killed by a landslide at the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery in Sha Tin.
Ma Shuk-fong, 73, a volunteer helper at the monastery, suffocated after being buried under more than 160 tonnes of mud, rock and trees on July 2 last year.
Coroner Ian Thomas returned a verdict of accidental death but said there was growing concern over the state of slopes, many of which had been cut specifically for the purpose of constructing homes.
'Artificial slopes are potentially a hazard,' he said. 'The time has come for slope safety . . . to be the subject of further investigation and legislation.
He urged the introduction of strict legislation to ensure that slopes were properly maintained by their owners.
'A simplified legislative framework should allow much faster work to be done on slopes that are not up to standard,' Mr Thomas said.