1972 Hong Kong landslides

Series of landslides in Hong Kong December 2018 December 2018 A series of major landslides occurred in Hong Kong in June 1972. Final Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Rainstorm Disasters 1972 Yang Mackey Cumine Geotechnical Engineering Office, Civil Engineering and Development Department, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 2008 Hong Kong https://www.cedd.gov.hk/filemanager/eng/content_414/er229links.pdf T. L. S. E. Several apartment complexes and houses were wiped out, and at least 156 people lost their lives. THUNDERSTORM, RAINSTORM, FLOOD AND LANDSLIP WARNING SERVICES IN HONG KONG http://www.hko.gov.hk/wservice/tsheet/tsflwarn.htm www.hko.gov.hk 2015-11-16 The landslides had been caused by waterlogged soils in the area, a result of Typhoon Rose bringing unusually heavy rainfall in August 1971 as well as heavy rainstorms hitting Hong Kong on the days preceding the landslides. Background Po Shan Road in the Mid-Levels was the site of the largest major landslide to occur in June 1972. The area in general had long been susceptible to landslips and rockfall since it was developed; several other major landslides had occurred at or near Po Shan Road before 1972. These included a large landslip in 1925, which caused many deaths, as well as large but relatively undamaging landslides in 1941, 1950 and 1966. Most of these had been caused by heavy rainstorms, in a similar manner to the 1972 landslides. Shiu Fai Terrace, another site of landslips, had been leased in 1920 and the number and height of buildings that could be built on it had been restricted, probably decreasing the death toll of the 1972 disasters. On 18 June, to cope with the disasters, all British Forces in the colony were mobilised, all police and fire services leave was cancelled, and the Civil Aid Service and Auxiliary Medical Services were called to assist in rescue operations.Worst deluge in 83 years hits Hongkong South China Morning Post 19 June 1972 1 Shiu Fai Terrace Multiple landslides also occurred at Shiu Fai Terrace in Wan Chai. In total, three large landslips occurred over a continuous area on June 16. They were not as large as the Po Shan Road disaster but altogether affected a greater area. Several were killed by the landslips. Throughout June 1972, multiple incidents of landslides occurred throughout Hong Kong, especially in Wan Chai. In total, combined with the Po Shan and Shiu Fai landslides, the landslips killed around 148 people. While they severely crippled infrastructure and emergency services through Hong Kong, the landslides of 1972 have led to improved guidelines for hillside excavation and safety and rescue procedures. Landslide Risk Assessment https://books.google.com/books?id=Kb9Oh3DaHRIC Thomas Telford 2004-01-01 9780727731715 E. Mark Lee David K. C. Jones Sau Mau Ping landslide At midday on 18 June, a landslide buried a squatter village at the Sau Mau Ping licensed area, killing 71. The mud spilled over Tsui Ping Road into the Kwun Tong Resettlement Estate. Resettlement Department staff and fathers of the adjacent Kwun Tong Maryknoll College launched the rescue operation. They were joined by around 600 personnel from the army, police, fire services, Civil Aid Service, and Auxiliary Medical Service.H.K. rallies to aid victims: Rescuers working round the clock South China Morning Post 21 June 1972 8 Many of those killed were children. Survivors were billeted at the Kun Tong Police Station and the Sau Mau Ping Resettlement Estate. The collapsed hill slope was reconstructed with a gentler grade. The disaster site is now home to the Sau Mau Ping Memorial Park, opened 1976. Po Shan Road landslide On June 16, 1972, several minor slips of mud were noticed along Po Shan Road. The road was blocked off by falling mud at a construction site and several cracks started to appear in a retaining wall. Inspections were performed on many structures but as it was raining, ultimately no major evacuation or alert measures were taken. On June 17, a slip had occurred over the whole width of the cut slope at the southern face of Inland Lot 2260 on Po Shan Road, carrying away nearly all the bamboo framing and metal sheet covering. In addition, authorities noticed severe subsidence of several buildings around IL 2260. Residents were then urged to leave their houses and apartments as a precaution. On June 18, it was still raining, and the situation had gotten worse. Cracks continued to appear in retaining walls, and mud had started to fall on nearby Conduit Road. Po Shan Road was cordoned off to the public and nearby apartments were evacuated as it quickly became apparent that a large landslide would soon occur. A little after 5 p.m. that day, a huge mass of rocks, mud and vegetation suddenly broke free and slid down the side of IL 2260, breaking through a retaining wall on Kotewall Road and completely blocking Conduit Road. There were no deaths directly resulting from this slip, however. Then, some time after 8 p.m., an even larger landslip occurred starting at IL 2260 and, in less than ten seconds, cleared a path from Po Shan Road to Kotewall Road, destroying several houses and retaining walls in the process. Upon hitting Kotewall Road, the slip knocked Kotewall Court (the only well-lit building in the area at the time) completely off of its foundation and collapsed several flats at Robinson Road and Babington Path. 1972 Po Shan Road landslide / Kotewall Road disaster Gwulo: Old Hong Kong https://gwulo.com/atom/18659 gwulo.com 2015-11-21 67 people were killed and 20 were injured in less than a minute Because of the lack of lighting and the rain, as well as the fact that much of the transportation network had been destroyed, rescue efforts were initially sporadic and hampered. Some landslips continued to occur, causing withdrawals of emergency personnel. More than an hour had passed when the first survivors were pulled from the rubble, at 9:24. Eventually, however, most known survivors had been rescued in the next several days. References External links https://www.hongkongfp.com/2016/08/07/hkfp-history-brief-visual-history-1972-deadly-kotewall-road-landslide/ A brief visual history of the 1972 deadly Kotewall Road landslide Wrong Hong 7 August 2016 Hong Kong Free Press 8 August 2016 Category:Natural disasters in Hong Kong Category:1972 in Hong Kong Category:1970s landslides Category:1972 natural disasters Category:Building and structure collapses in 1972