Media365
As Hong Kong’s typhoon season approaches, climate change could intensify the strength of tropical storms, bringing disaster in their wake. Low-lying areas such as Tai O, a small fishing village on Lantau Island, are especially vulnerable. In recent years, this peaceful community of stilt houses and winding waterways has been battling an increasing number of extreme weather events that threaten people’s lives and livelihoods.
Located in a remote area and with many elderly residents, Tai O lacks many of the resources required to combat natural disasters, which are often accompanied by heavy rainfall and high winds. Recent extreme weather, like that experienced during super typhoons, brought record-breaking storm surges that submerged entire neighbourhoods, with floodwaters reaching 3.36 metres in some instances. “Back in 2018, Typhoon Mangkhut caused severe flooding in our village and seriously disrupted our daily lives,” recalls Tai O resident Samuel Wong.
The village’s once-rich biodiversity is also under threat. Formerly an abundant species in the area, the Chinese bahaba (Bahaba taipingensis), known locally as the “Tai O Fish”, is critically endangered. Warming waters, habitat loss and over-harvesting have diminished marine life, while coastal erosion has reduced natural protection from incoming waves, leaving the area more exposed to storms.
In response to these challenges, A Plastic Ocean Foundation (APO) is leading an initiative to promote sustainable coastal management. In collaboration with the Hong Kong Red Cross, this initiative is supported by Prudence Foundation, the community investment and philanthropic arm of Prudential, and Prudential Hong Kong.
Using eco-friendly units made from seashells, APO re-engineers the sea floor as a nature-based alternative to traditional sea walls. “Living shorelines can help increase seabed complexity,” explains Willy Kwong, the foundation’s director. “This added complexity not only helps reduce wave energy, but also provides a habitat for marine life, which, in turn, can help the local community continue its traditional livelihood.”
The project uses locally sourced bivalve shells, including oysters. After cleaning and treatment to remove potential contaminants, they are formed into modules designed to create a sustainable marine structure. These Modular Wire Reef (MWR) help stabilise the shoreline and provide structural support for marine habitats, offering a nature-based complement to traditional coastal defences.
