The Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po has reached HK$800 million in under 24 hours, while the government has announced a series of compassionate measures, including HK$200,000 condolence payments per deceased family member, fully covered cremation and funeral costs, and up to 1,000 free hotel and youth hostel rooms for immediate shelter.
Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen shared the update on Friday afternoon (Nov 28), noting that HK$500 million in donations from individuals and organizations had poured in by 5pm, added to the government's initial HK$300 million seed funding.
She said every bereaved family will receive the six-figure condolence sum right away, with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department assigning dedicated officers to guide them through the entire process—from securing extra cremation slots and public columbarium spaces to handling all related expenses at no cost.
Mak added that HK$50,000 living allowances will begin rolling out to each affected household next week via a one-family-one-social-worker registration system.
On top of that, HK$10,000 emergency cash grants have already been disbursed to 78 households yesterday (Nov 27), with over 1,200 more registered by mid-afternoon and payments set to continue through the weekend.
For housing, authorities have secured 1,000 no-cost rooms in youth hostels and hotels for the coming days, and by two weeks from now, 1,800 transitional units will be available for mid-to-long-term stays, also free of charge.
