Eight injured as strong winds wreak havoc across city

Strong winds caused accidents across the city yesterday, injuring at least eight people.

The Observatory said wind speeds of up to 85km/h were recorded in the northern New Territories. It issued a thunderstorm warning shortly before the first of the accidents.

Four men were injured when more than 20 stacked containers fell, hitting three trucks, when strong winds swept across a container site in Tin Shui Wai in the late afternoon.

'I saw black clouds in the sky on the mainland side,' said one witness and truck driver. 'It was like typhoon No8. The wind was so strong that my truck moved.'

The incident happened at Tin Ha Road, Tin Shui Wai, at about 5.17pm. Police said the injured men, aged 40 to 58, were taken to Tuen Mun Hospital and were in stable condition.

At about the same time, a team of firefighters was sent to Shui Chuen House, Tin Shui Estate, Tin Shui Wai, when two workmen were stranded on a suspended platform.