Burst pipe causes stink at Rugby Sevens as stadium's water supply is off for five hours
A lack of running water for almost five hours at the height of the second day's play meant 40,000 revelers in need of relief had to flush facilities with buckets
Conditions at the Hong Kong Stadium took a turn for the worse yesterday after the toilets broke down during the rugby Sevens revelry.
For almost five hours from 10.30am, the stadium - catering to 40,000 boisterous rugby fans - was devoid of flushing water due to a burst pipe. The lack of flowing water caused the facilities to back up, and there were reports of revellers defecating on bathroom floors.
Rugby officials said stadium management placed buckets of water at the toilet cubicles in an attempt to alleviate the backlog.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which manages the stadium, apologised for the inconvenience.
"Emergency repair was immediately carried out and the flushing water supply was resumed at 3.15pm," a spokesman said. "During the emergency repair period, additional cleaners were deployed to help maintain hygiene."