Shek O residents were again offered evacuation by boat on Thursday after heavy rain exacerbated an earlier partial collapse of the only road into the area and forced authorities to shut it off.

The village was one of the hardest hit by last Friday's massive rainstorm, with landslides and road closures cutting it off from the rest of the city.

A section of Shek O Road collapsed near Lan Nai Wan and scores of residents were taken from their homes to urban areas on Saturday by boat.

Officials said the collapse area expanded on Thursday morning following yet more torrential rain.

"For residents who have a pressing need to leave Shek O, the government will assist them to leave urgently by the sea route," a statement said.

Authorities said urgent repair works were underway and from noon, the road was reopened for use by government vehicles and red minibuses.

The Transport Department added that it aims to reopen one of the lanes of Shek O Road to all light vehicles at around 9pm, and to restore full access by 6am on Friday.
_____________________________
Last updated: 2023-09-14 HKT 17:21