Hong Kong authorities have called on residents not to swim at Deep Water Bay Beach and Repulse Bay Beach after a sewage pipe split in two during Super Typhoon Ragasa.
The Drainage Services Department said on Thursday that it had immediately stopped using the 450mm-diameter sewage main at the Mills and Chung Path near Deep Water Bay after a routine inspection found “severe damage” to the pipe.
According to a photo on the department’s social media, the pipe broke into two parts during Ragasa, which triggered the city’s highest-level No 10 hurricane warning for nearly 11 hours on Wednesday and caused flooding in coastal areas.
The department said the sewage was diverted to the emergency treatment facility at the Repulse Bay Main Sewage Pumping Station for treatment before being discharged into the sea.
“To protect public health, members of the public should not swim at Deep Water Bay Beach, Repulse Bay Beach, or the surrounding waters,” it said.
It added that it had commenced emergency repair work and would cooperate with the Environmental Protection Department to test seawater samples collected at nearby beaches to monitor their quality.
It also said it would maintain close contact with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which manages both public beaches.
