In view of the unsettled weather in the next few days, a spokesman from the Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO) of the Civil Engineering and Development Department urged the public to stay vigilant and keep away from the areas where there are signs of landslips and report to the Police immediately. In particular, when the Landslip Warning is in force, the public should pay special attention.
Hong Kong just experienced an exceptionally severe rainstorm on June 7 with a Landslide Potential Index reaching a record high of 12.3. Landslip Warning was issued for 35 hours between June 7 and 8. The GEO Emergency Control Centre (ECC) was immediately mobilised and more than 110 professional and technical staff were deployed to inspect landslide incidents and provide expert advice to emergency services and other departments. Up to June 10, the GEO received 162 reports of landslides with one serious incident at Cafeteria Old Beach resulting in two fatalities. In addition, more than 400 landslides (largely unreported) on natural terrain were recorded during a helicopter flight on 9 June 2008. Most of them were located in western Lantau Island and a number of them were very large in scale, with an estimated volume of debris greater than 1,000 m3.
GEO has strived to complete all emergency inspections of the landslides, particularly on those severely affected areas. For instance, a total of 13 GEO inspection teams led by a Chief Geotechnical Engineer were deployed over the last few days to carry out emergency inspections in Tai O. Based on the results of the inspections, GEO recommended temporary evacuation of 22 village houses and permanent evacuation of seven squatter huts. Four GEO teams have been deployed today to continue with the inspections in the nearby areas of Tai O. For the fatal landslide incident at Cafeteria Old Beach, Castle Peak Road, GEO has advised on immediate emergency works to prevent deterioration of the site conditions, and Lands Department is working very hard to complete the works as soon as possible.
After working very hard in the last few days, GEO has completed emergency inspections of most of the landslides affecting roads and buildings. Immediate emergency measures, such as closure of roads, evacuation of buildings, fencing-off of dangerous areas, temporary slope protection, and diversion of surface waters, etc. have been recommended to ensure public safety. GEO has also recommended necessary urgent repair works, aiming to re-open the affected roads and re-occupy the evacuated buildings as soon as possible.
Despite government's relentless efforts on emergency measures and repair works in last few days, there are still residual landslide risks left behind by the exceptionally severe rainstorm on June 7.
"The Government strives to contain the landside risk of these locations.
"The GEO is studying these areas with significant residual landslide risks, and will devise appropriate short-term and long-term mitigation measures to safeguard the lives and properties of the public against landslide hazards," the GEO spokesman said.
Ends/Thursday, June 12, 2008
Issued at HKT 21:23
