Recap | Hong Kong’s deadliest disasters, from landslides to shark attacks to floods
Explore Hong Kong’s tragic history of natural disasters, from deadly landslides and flash floods to shark attacks and explosions, all of which have shaped the city’s safety protocols
Hong Kong’s history is scarred by tragic events and natural disasters that have all made for sobering headlines in the South China Morning Post.
Revisit the devastating 1972 landslides, the 1955 Taipo Kau picnic flash flood, the 1995 Sai Kung shark attacks, the 1992 downpour that forced the creation of a new rainstorm warning system and the deadly 1977 Aberdeen harbour trawler explosion.
1. Deadly Hong Kong landslides devastate Mid-Levels skyscraper and Sau Mau Ping village, leaving 138 dead
In June 1972 Hong Kong was hit by twin landslides triggered by record-breaking rainfall, dubbed the “worst deluge in 83 years”, that saw a colossal 64cms of rain in 72 hours. A luxury block of flats in Mid-Levels collapsed, killing 67, while a mudslide buried a squatter village in Sau Mau Ping, claiming 71 lives, including many children.
2. Taipo Kau picnic tragedy killed 28, including children, when flash flood struck campsite
Revisit the heart-wrenching tale of the 1955 tragedy when a stream suddenly turned into a torrent following a cloudburst on a sunny Sunday outing in Hong Kong. The torrent of water swept away picnickers, including many children, from the Kowloon-Canton Railway Staff Club and the St James’ Settlement.
3. Deadly shark attacks terrorise Sai Kung beaches leaving three swimmers dead
Relive the gripping tale of terror that gripped Hong Kong in the summer of 1995 when a series of shark attacks left three dead, sparking fear, speculation and the closure of beaches across the region. From Sai Kung’s Silverstrand Beach to Clear Water Bay, explore the chilling incidents and the hunt for answers as reported by the South China Morning Post at the time.
4. Deadly 1992 downpour claimed five lives, including two children, and sparked birth of Hong Kong traffic light rainstorm warning system
Hong Kong’s innovative storm warning system was born from tragedy after a catastrophic downpour claimed lives and exposed flaws to the city’s response to extreme weather. A colour-coded system of alerts – green, amber, red, and black – was implemented to trigger school closures and broadcast warnings
5. Aberdeen harbour trawler explosion near Jumbo Restaurant claims lives of three marine police, injures 10
In 1977, police were killed when an LPG canister in the hold of a trawler they were inspecting exploded in Hong Kong’s Aberdeen harbour. A coroner’s jury later determined the blast was accidental and prompted a thorough investigation into safety measures aboard vessels.
Part of this article was produced with the assistance of generative AI.
