Hong Kong: Cliffside mansions at risk of collapse after record rains

History rains last week eroded the foundations of several multi-million dollar mansions at a hillside estate in the Hong Kong, putting them in danger of collapsing.

In the southeastern area of Tai Tam, a haven for celebrities and tycoons, the rains loosened the earth and carve the side of the cliff.

Because so many structures and bridges are built into rocky cliffs, floods and landslides are common in the Hong Kong.

Culture change has made the dangers worse.

According to photographs, three buildings appeared to be in grave danger of collapsing off the mountain, and one was discovered to contain buildings that had been constructed without the authorities’ consent.

Authorities claimed that there was also” some violation of the contracts and unlawful activity.”

The heavy rain, which was the heaviest since the city started keeping records in 1884, may have made the illegal works worse.

The price of the area’s upscale homes can reach up to$ 23 million(£ 18.3 million ). According to Mansion Global, a modern information website that covers the real estate market worldwide, the neighborhood’s 2, 773-square-foot four-bedroom home sold for.

Following accounts of floods in the area, some Redhill Peninsula people were evacuated on Saturday.

After issuing removal orders on Saturday in response to reports of floods, officials are now assessing the hillside estate’s protection.

Residents have been asked to periodically close their outdoor swimming pools and gardens while they wait for further inspections.

However, Bernadette Linn, the state’s secretary for development, stated that” Our main focus at the moment is to stabilize the slope to ensure public safety.”

Two dwellings had been dug into the ground during the removal of one of the homes, and it was suspected that the masters had done so without the the Hong Kong Building Authority’s consent.

Authorities also discovered that one of the mansions’ patio gardens may have been expanded on the hill improperly.

After the storm turned roads into raging river and flooded train stations and shops, officials shut down universities and offices last Friday. The medical received more than 100 patients.