| |
| |
![]() |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
HONG KONG : Authorities in Hong Kong will start inspecting some 400 of the city's valuable trees, after a woman was killed on Wednesday when a century-old tree split in half and fell on her in Stanley Market.
Workers have been busy working overnight, chopping up the 23-metre or about 7-storey high Coral tree.
On Wednesday afternoon, 19-year-old Chong Chung-yin was walking under the tree with a friend, when a branch snapped and fell on her head.
A doctor and nurse from a nearby clinic tried to provide first aid, but she was later pronounced dead in hospital.
Two other girls, aged 11 and 12, escaped with light injuries.
Shop owners returned to pick up the pieces following the damage done mainly to their shop fronts.
One gallery owner said residents had been complaining about a strange smell coming from the tree. Restaurant worker Gill Surgitsingh also saw government officials administering drugs on the tree.
He said: "Because of this tree, when the people sit here at the restaurant, there were so many ants coming in and biting them. They didn't like it. The leaves fall inside the restaurant too and ... we are always cleaning up."
Experts said the tree, which is on a registry of old and valuable trees, probably suffered from a fungal infection or insect infestation. It could have also been weakened after a typhoon hit the city last week.
The tree was situated at the centre of Stanley Main Street, a popular shopping destination for visiting tourists.
The tree belonged to a common species in the area and authorities will be stepping up inspection to allay fears of residents and visitors alike.
The Leisure Bureau currently has some 100 staff overseeing over 400 listed trees, on top of the city's 720,000 tree population. - CNA /ls
|
