Residents at Heng Fa Chuen had a rude awakening Thursday morning when a barge nearly crashed through a seawall and came to a halt just meters from their block after the vessel apparently broke free from its moorings as fierce winds from Typhoon Nesat battered Hong Kong.

About 50 residents at the housing estate in Chai Wan had to be evacuated, but nobody was hurt.

The residents awoke to find the derrick of the 38-by-33-meter vessel positioned only about 10 meters from their windows.

The barge, which was under maintenance, is believed to have been forced from its anchor as gale-force winds intensified after the No 8 signal was hoisted at 4:40 am, according to the Hong Kong Seamen's Union (HKSU).

The residents were evacuated and given shelter at a shopping mall nearby.

"I got up at about five in the morning and, to my horror, found myself staring into this massive vessel right outside my window," said Shirley Chan who lives on the eighth floor of the block.

"It was extremely unstable, drifting up and down, by the side of the seawall. At times, it appeared to have come so close to us after being pushed by strong winds," she said.

Police were reported to have arrived at the scene at 5 am and began ordering the residents on the building's lower floors to leave and stay in a mall restaurant until 8 am.

But, by then, the vessel had already stabilized, with its derrick adjusted pointing away from the building. Parts of the barge were damaged, while some oil transportation facilities at the pier were damaged.

Two tugboats had tried to tow the vessel away but failed.

HKSU Vice-President Wong Kwok-kin said the danger posed by the powerful typhoon appeared to have been ignored after the strong wind signal No 3 was raised on Wednesday evening, since the observatory said the possibility of upgrading the typhoon alert was "low".

Wong said that the barge's anchor chain should have been examined.

The typhoon forced the closure of all schools and businesses, allowing Heng Fa Chuen residents the time to take pictures at the scene as the winds weakened around noon.

andrea@chinadailyhk.com

China Daily

(HK Edition 09/30/2011 page1)