Explainer | Lost in Hong Kong’s not-so-urban jungle? The Post shares how to survive in the wild
- Rescue of 60-year-old man from remote hill in Tai Po highlights importance of knowing your surroundings and finding essentials
The retiree, who carried no provisions on the hike, managed to survive on stream water by using a wet tissue to extract the liquid.
The Post explains how lost hikers can find help and survive in the wilderness until help arrives.
1. How do I find help?
Lobo Louie Hung-tak, associate head of the Education University of Hong Kong’s health and physical education department, stressed the importance of avoiding hiking alone, citing a higher rate of accidents.
He said the first priority if a hiker became lost was to try and identify their surroundings, assess the potential risks such as heat exhaustion, and seek help wherever possible.
Hikers should retrace their steps along marked or familiar trails rather than venturing off into unknown areas, he added.
He said inexperienced hikers often tried to keep going forward in the hopes of finding an exit.
Louie recommended carrying a map and a compass, as well as downloading the government’s “HKSOS” mobile app to alert emergency contacts and rescue services if hikers got lost.
