Hong Kong  - Hong Kong's problem-plagued Big Buddha cable car ride has suffered another setback after storms and a landslide damaged a fibre-optic cable, forcing its temporary closure, the operator said Monday.

The closure is the latest in a series of problems for the 125-million-US-dollar ride on Lantau Island since it opened in September 2006.

In June 2007, the ride to the Tian Tan Buddha, the world's tallest outdoor seated bronze Buddha, was suspended for six months when one of its cars fell 50 metres to the ground during a weekly test run.

No one was inside the cabin, but after the accident, the Australian company running the cable car service was sacked and replaced by MTR Corp, which runs Hong Kong's underground service.

The ride reopened over the New Year's holiday but in April was closed for one day when a problem left more than 100 people stranded mid-ride for 90 minutes.

The operator said the latest closure was expected to last a few days. (dpa)