China | Property in Hong Kong

A landslip in Hong Kong fuels resentment of the rich

Grand houses sprawl beyond their plots

An aerial photo shows a landslide at Redhill Peninsula, a luxurious residential estate in the Tai Tam area in Hong Kong
What lies beneathImage: Getty Images
|Hong Kong

THE MILLIONAIRES of Redhill Peninsula, a posh coastal community in Hong Kong, are a little poorer than they were. Last month a supertyphoon named Saola brought the city rainfalls heavier than any this century. At Redhill, a big chunk of sodden earth slipped into the sea. Though the landslip mostly spared surrounding houses, it exposed basements that had been dug without permission and that may have contributed to the collapse. Prompted by journalists, the government began an investigation, which is still going on. By October 6th it had found a dozen houses in the area that broke rules in some way.

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This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “There goes the neighbourhood”

From the October 21st 2023 edition

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