The Secretary for Development, Mrs Carrie Lam, learnt during her visit to Tai O today (July 16), that good progress had been made in urgent repair works to the damaged natural slopes in the Tai O area and that most of the works would be completed by the end of July.
Mrs Lam was briefed by the Head of the Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO), Mr Raymond Chan, on the latest progress of the repair works carried out in Tai O. She thanked GEO colleagues and contractor staff for their hard work since the severe rainstorm on June 7.
The GEO has deployed more than 100 workers and 20 construction plants to carry out the repair works in Tai O San Tsuen and Nam Chung Tsuen. They have been working 12 hours a day and seven days a week to complete the works as quickly as possible. The repair works to the landslides affecting other villages in Tai O are also progressing well, and the residual landslide risks have been effectively reduced.
Accompanied by the Chairman of the Tai O Rural Committee, Mr Lee Chi-fung, and District Officer (Islands), Mr Byron Lam, Mrs Lam also visited a family at Tai O San Tsuen that was evacuated from their village house because of the landslide threat. The family was able to return home on July 11 after the urgent slope repair work was completed and the closure order lifted.
The Buildings Department has so far lifted the closure orders for 20 village houses, out of a total of 30, upon completion of the remedial works. It is anticipated that the closure orders for the remaining five village houses in Nam Chung Tsuen could be lifted on Friday (July 18).
Ends/Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Issued at HKT 17:51
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