Almost 100 visitors at a new man-made beach in Tai Po have reported being stung by sea urchins and jellyfish since its opening just five days ago.
Over 60 cases occurred on Saturday alone, according to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD). Lifeguards administered first aid to the beachgoers who suffered minor injuries at Lung Mei Beach.
Four large buckets of sea urchins were collected, according to a photo that a lifeguard union shared with Stand News over the weekend.
The Hong Kong and Kowloon Lifeguards Union’s spokesperson, Nick Wu, said the LCSD should have handled the large number of sea urchins before the beach’s opening.
Wu added that the department has not hired sufficient lifeguards at the beach yet, with just 10 lifeguards on duty on holidays, down from the usual 14. The shortage makes it difficult for lifeguards to oversee beachgoers’ safety and tend to injuries, he explained.
Read more: Beach where elderly man drowned was not staffed by lifeguards due to COVID-19
Lung Mei Beach, a 200-meter stretch near popular cycling destination Tai Mei Tuk, opened to the public on June 23 after years of planning and controversy.
Its early construction plans sparked outcry from environmental activists, who say the government failed to take into account the presence of rare marine life—including spotted seahorses classified as “vulnerable” by an international conservation group—found at the site.
Despite the rainy weather, local media reported that the beach was packed over the weekend. But some visitors complained about the beach’s lack of cleanliness, calling the water unclear with bits of rubbish found floating.
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