Tai O residents slam red tape amid flooding woes
Government blamed for not helping evacuate elderly whose homes face severe flooding threat
Residents in flood-prone areas yesterday blasted the government, accusing it of poor preparations and red tape as Usagi edged towards the city.
However, there were no reports of flooding in Hong Kong by 9pm last night.
A group of volunteers in Tai O on Lantau also accused officials of failing to help evacuate single elderly residents, who were worried they would not have time to move out of the village's stilt houses into shelters.
"There are many single elderly living here and evacuation takes time because we have to cross a river to get to the shelter," social worker Eddie Tse Sai-kit said. "I am so angry that it is so difficult to contact the officials."
Adding to the residents' woes was a forecast of traditional Chinese meteorology that said there would be a huge tidal flow, which would make flooding much worse.
"Tidal flows are most vigorous on the 3rd and 18th of the Chinese calendar," said Tse, adding that today was the 18th day.