Hong Kong heatwave left city’s poorest reduced to tears and fighting off depression as temperatures soared in oven-like homes
New survey from Society for Community Organisation reveals tenants of sub-divided flats suffered in 42 degree heat as city sweltered in month of record highs
The oppressive heatwave that left Hong Kong sweltering for much of May reduced some of the city’s poorest residents to tears and left others fighting off bouts of depression, a new survey has revealed.
On Saturday, the Society for Community Organisation released the findings of a survey of 234 tenants, almost half of whom said they struggled emotionally in the heat, while a further 21 per cent claimed to have suffered from some form of depression.
Lin Xiaohong broke down in tears when describing the oven-like living conditions in an unauthorised home on a rooftop in Tai Kok Tsui.
“My 6½-year-old daughter only wears underwear at home as it is too hot. She can’t sleep and often has fever,” Lin said.