As Hong Kong polls Wang Fuk Court fire survivors on rehousing preferences, mental health experts warn that ongoing instability is blocking psychological progress for the displaced.
Following the government's December announcement of rehousing options for survivors of the November 26 Tai Po Wang Fuk Court fire—which killed 161 and displaced nearly 5,000—social workers have begun polling residents on preferences among nine choices, including subsidised homes elsewhere or returning post-2035 redevelopment. Data collection ends late January.
Mental health experts emphasise that this uncertainty hinders trauma recovery. Opal Li Tin-yui of Mind HK, after assessing 120 residents in transitional housing, noted a shift from acute shock to emotional numbing. Authorities say stability is key for interventions amid PTSD-like symptoms.
Keywords: Advisory Committee on Mental Health, Tai Po, Dr Catherine Li Ka-yan, Christmas, Hong Kong Mental Health Association, Social Welfare Department, Mind HK.
