Morning crash with buffalo disrupts Tsing Long Highway traffic for two hours

A buffalo was hit by a car on Tsing Long Highway on Wednesday morning, resulting in a two-hour partial lane closure and delays for rush-hour commuters. 

Police received multiple reports at around 7.04am of a private car heading towards Kowloon having collided with a buffalo just in front of the entrance to the Tai Lam Tunnel.

Witnesses also reported seeing other cows running along the roadway, creating dangerous conditions on the road. 

Upon arrival, police officers located the injured buffalo, while the other two cows were spotted hiding in nearby bushes. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) was called in, tranquilizing the injured buffalo before removing it from the road around 10am.

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Circulating dashcam footage captured the moment the buffalo suddenly darted onto the road, with the driver appearing unable to brake in time.

The collision left the animal with a fractured front leg and bleeding from its horn. Debris from the damaged vehicle was scattered along the fast lane, and blood stains were visible on the road as motorists cautiously passed the scene.

During the incident, the Transport Department announced the partial closure of lanes on the Tsing Long Highway towards Kowloon, urging drivers to consider using alternative routes or the MTR.

The severe traffic congestion spread across Yuen Long, forcing several bus routes, including KMB routes 279X and 978, to be diverted.

All lanes were reopened at approximately 9.49am, after which the vehicle queue gradually cleared.