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Yes, that was most upsetting and weird, concreting around the base of two beautiful, healthy trees, all the way to the wood. I don't get why they didn't cut down the trees first instead of slowly choking them to death. But it's private land and so close to the wall of this new Village House, so it's all up to the owner, I'm afraid.
I've got pictures of this concrete vandalism, but haven't published them yet. Let me get a better one today. They cut down half of the branches hanging into the space of this new house already months ago.
Miraculously, the trees have survived for several weeks already even though everything around them for several metres is covered by thick concrete now. The roots must be pretty deep and still be able to find water underground for now. But I fear, it's just a matter of time before it'll wither and die. The tall one is one of this intensely sweet fragrant trees with big white flowers, not uncommon on Lamma, but I forgot the name.
The flooding shouldn't become a problem, I hope, at least not worse than before occasionally. Much of that drainage channel through the village is underground already and has simply been extended by a few metres past this new house, so no additional blockage. Not solving the problems of occasionally high water, but at least not making it worse, I hope.
But there's a reason that most new houses in the village are built on pretty high platforms (up to 1 metre). Old G/F flats have frequently been flooded during typhoons because of random construction of new buildings, blocking drainage water flows. I remember a "guided tour" of houses in the area and talking to some of the G/F inhabitants who had suffered these floodings for years.
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