ENG-1962 — Page 321

264

COMMUNICATIONS

By 9 a.m. on 1st September city streets were deserted. Each fresh gust brought advertising signs, roofing iron and scaffolding on new buildings crashing down. Suburban roads were blocked by fallen trees and many homes in exposed positions badly dam- aged. The fire and ambulance services received well over 500 calls for assistance from the public and at one time calls were being received at the rate of 10 a minute. Two ambulances were blown off the road, injuring the crews, and three fire stations were flooded putting 11 appliances temporarily out of commission. At North Point a cyanide store on the waterfront was broached by an 8,000- ton ship out of control, releasing lethal gas. Teams of firemen wearing breathing apparatus worked for five hours to render dam- aged containers harmless and to remove those undamaged.

In the New Territories damage to communications, property, public works, boats, homes and crops was considerable and wide- spread. At Sha Tin a tidal surge breached the seawall in two places, flooded the town and swept away many huts. A number of small boats were swept into the streets, causing severe damage. Most of the deaths which occurred in the New Territories were at this one town. Tai Po and Sha Tau Kok were also affected by the tidal surge, which swept over seawalls and causeways, but fortunately casualties were few as most people had already reached shelter on high ground. Losses to the fishing fleet were severe and a total of 484 fishing vessels were reported sunk or damaged beyond economic repair. A further 509 vessels were damaged.

Extensive damage was also caused to vegetable crops, though heavy rain minimized salt water damage to rice paddy. Where seawalls had been breached many fields remained subject to sea water flooding until the breaches were repaired. At Pak Ngai in Deep Bay parts of the oyster beds were damaged and a large number of oysters washed ashore. It will be some time before it is possible to estimate losses accurately.

Relief measures organized and co-ordinated by officers of the New Territories Administration were undertaken immediately. Rescue work was carried out by the police, auxiliaries, members of the Fire Services and the Civil Aid Services and volunteers. The army also gave considerable assistance, especially at Sha Tin and Tai Po where they helped to repair breaches in the seawall