By
Daisy CL Mandap
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| The Filipino tourists were picked up from Winward 800 Hotel in Tsing Yi |
The
Philippine Consulate is set to lodge a complaint with Hong Kong’s Travel
Industry Council after a group of Filipino tourists were put on a bus bound for
the airport at the height of severe typhoon Mangkhut, then left stranded for
hours after the vehicle’s windshield was shattered by strong winds.
Danny Baldon of the Consulate’s assistance to
nationals section said the 36 Filipinos, who included two children and three
senior citizens, were fetched from the Winland Hotel 888 in Tsing Yi at 10am,
when severe typhoon Mangkhut had just roared into Hong Kong.
As they approached Tsing Ma bridge, strong winds
reportedly shattered the bus’ windshield, forcing it to stop.
But instead of finding ways to get the passengers
back to safety, the tour escort allegedly kept them on the bus for hours, until
some of them found a way to contact the Consulate late in the afternoon.
“Kami pa ang tumawag sa 999 para ma-rescue sila,”
said Baldon.
He said the bus driver offered no credible
explanation as to why he did not seek help immediately, and why he insisted on
taking them to the airport despite the hoisting of the strongest typhoon signal
in the territory.
“Pilit niyang sinasabi na signal no 8 lang nung
umalis sila, pero sabi ko, kahit signal 8 lang iyon dapat hindi pa rin sila
tumuloy dahil kung ganoon kalakas ang bagyo ay lahat ng public transportation e
itinitigil na,” said Baldon.
According to the Hong Kong Observatory, typhoon signal
no 10, the highest possible was raised at 9:40am. It was lowered to T8 at
7:40pm, or 10 hours later, making it one of the most intense storms to have hit
the city.
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| Transportation was paralyzed across Hong Kong |
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| Nearly 900 flights were cancelled, stranding 100,000 passengers |
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| This house in Yuen Long had its kitchen wrecked by Mangkhut's strong winds |
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| Even the IFC in Central was not spared Mangkhut's wrath |
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| One of the worst areas affected was Heng Fa Chuen in Chai Wan, where extensive flooding occurred |
All the tourists were reportedly driven back to the
hotel where they were to spend the night.
Baldon said they were supposed to take different
flights back to the Philippines, but it was certain most would not have been
able to leave since most planes were grounded as Magkhut lingered in the city
for most of the day.
According to local media reports, nearly 900 flights
out of Hong Kong International Airport were cancelled during the day, with about
100,000 travelers affected. Several
hundred other flights were delayed.
About 100 people are reported to have sought
treatment in hospitals due to typhoon-related complaints, but there had been no
fatalities. One of the most seriously injured was a Filipina tourist who was
hit by flying debris in Tsimshatsui, and had to undergo surgery at the Queen
Elizabeth Hospital in Jordan for wounds to her feet and hands.
According to the Overseas Workers Welfare
Administration, several Filipina migrant workers had called up their hotline to
relay concerns and report slight injuries, but no one required medical
treatment.
