Cremation services to stream down from Saturday

The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department will gradually revert its cremation services to their original arrangements starting May 14, as the recent demand for these services has dropped from its peak.

From May 14, the cremation dates available on the booking system will be gradually resumed from the next 20 days to the original next 15 days.

In future, members of the public may book cremation sessions in each crematorium within the 15 days that next follow the application day as usual.

Additionally, from May 16, the daily cremation sessions available for booking, currently at over 300 daily, will gradually revert to the original level of 130 to 140 by early June.

In view of the significant decrease in service demand, the Joint Offices for death registration on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon will also revert to their original office hours from May 16.

Department statistics showed that more than 99% of the 1,897 bodies previously stored at the body storage facility in Fu Shan, Sha Tin have been cremated or buried, or are being arranged for such service, or have been taken out of Hong Kong.

The identification processes for the remaining bodies, fewer than 10, have been completed.

The Government strongly appealed to the descendants concerned to claim the bodies of the deceased and to make funeral arrangements as soon as possible.

All the unclaimed bodies at the body storage facility will be transferred to Fu Shan Public Mortuary later this month.