DHAKA: The New Year has revived old problems for Hong Kong as a murky smog blankets the usually glittering skyline, fuelling complaints from locals and visitors alike, and raising pressure on the government to act.

Tourists expecting to take holiday snaps from the famous Victoria Harbour waterfront have found it hard to distinguish Hong Kong’s trademark skyscrapers and mountainous backdrop, while residents are becoming increasingly worried for their own health.

‘It’s scary,’ said Julie Crossley, a 39-year-old sales manager from South Africa, visiting the city for the first time with her young daughter, reports The Straits Times.

‘I’m scared of what she’s breathing in’.

For German tourist Harald Gummlich, 60, the pea souper was not what he was expecting. ‘We’re still waiting for blue skies,’ he said.

BDST: 1545 HRS, JAN 12, 2014
Edited by Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor