The government sent a request to Chinese authorities asking for the assistance of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Macau garrison to assist in relief efforts, the first such request since Macau was handed over to China in 1999.
AFP PHOTO
The Chinese army on Friday joined relief efforts in Macau where at least nine people died after a huge typhoon ripped through the gambling hub, as troops were drafted in to clear piles of debris still blocking streets.
Around 48 hours after Severe Typhoon Hato smashed into southern China, worst-hit Macau was still picking up the pieces, with the enclave’s government facing recriminations over its lack of preparation.
The government sent a request to Chinese authorities asking for the assistance of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Macau garrison to assist in relief efforts, the first such request since the city was handed over to China in 1999.
“The PLA Macau Garrison have joined hands with the Macau Government and the Macau public for post-typhoon relief and construction work,” a government statement said Friday.
Authorities said around 1,000 troops were mobilized in the morning.
Residents volunteered to pick debris off the streets alongside troops who were seen clearing away items ranging from computer equipment to gas cylinders.
The official death toll in the former Portuguese colony hit nine on Friday after a man’s body was pulled from a car park.
A further eight people are known to have died in mainland southwestern China.