The Security Bureau said on October 19 that southbound passenger flow at Huanggang Port began building from 2pm, and about 9,401 passengers arrived between 2pm and 4pm. It said that was an increase of 366 per cent, or more than 3.5 times, compared with the same period previously at the Huanggang Port/Lok Ma Chau Control Point, and that traffic was expected to rise further later that day.

All clearance channels in the L4 arrival hall were opened. The Immigration Department said it would run crowd diversion and control measures on L4 and L2 with police depending on flows, while police would arrange designated queuing areas for passengers who had cleared immigration to wait for public transport. The Transport Department said it arranged about 120 franchised buses, 40 green minibuses and 130 cross-boundary coaches for service and standby support, with peak-hour frequencies reaching every two to three minutes for franchised buses and every three to four minutes for minibuses and coaches.

The Immigration Department earlier released a video urging eligible travellers planning to use Huanggang to enrol in advance for automated “collaborative inspection” channels and avoid peak periods. The bureau said it would keep monitoring the port with the Immigration, Police and Transport departments and adjust manpower and contingency measures as needed.