*
2. THIS ANXIETY IS EXPRESSED AT MORE THAN ONE LEVEL. THE PRESS HAVE
REPORTED FULL DETAILS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING AT CHERNOBYL, THE
MEASURES WHICH HAVE HAD TO BE TAKEN IN EUROPE TO PROTECT THE HEALTH
OF CHILDREN, TO BAN FOOD SUPPLIES FROM EASTERN EUROPE ETC. ETC.
HERE ARE DAILY REFERENCES TO OTHER INSTANCES OF RADIATION LEAKAGE
AND NUCLEAR ACCIDENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
3. THIS GENERAL ANXIETY BECOMES VERY SPECIFIC AND MORE INTENSE WHEN
TRANSLATED INTO SPECULATION ON WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO HONG KONG IF,
IN SPITE OF THE SAFETY MEASURES TO BE ADOPTED AT DAYA BAY, THERE
WAS AN ACCIDENT THERE. THE TONE OF THE COMMENT IS WELL EXPRESSED
IN AN EDITORIAL IN THE REPUTABLE CHINESE NEWSPAPER, THE MING PO
TODAY, UNDER THE HEADING, HONG KONG WOULD BECOME A DEAD CITY''. (WE WILL TELEGRAPH A TRANSLATION TOMORROW). IT IS THE PROXIMITY
OF DAYA BAY TO HONG KONG (LESS THAN 50 MILES) AND THE FACT THAT FOR
MUCH OF THE YEAR UNDER NORMAL WEATHER PATTERNS HONG KONG LES
DOWN WIND FROM DAYA BAY WHICH MAKES THE CITY SEEM SO VULNERABLE.
ADDED TO THIS IS A WIDESPREAD FEAR THAT GIVEN THE SIZE AND DENSITY OF THE POPULATION, AND THE LIMITATIONS ON MEANS OF TRANSPORT OUT OF HONG KONG, EVACUATION WOULD, IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANY SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE. (THE MING PO
EDITORIAL ASSUMES THAT EVACUATION MIGHT BE POSSIBLE: BUT STILL
BELIEVES THAT HONG KONG WOULD BECOME AN ABANDONED CHITY).
4.
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS DONE ITS BEST TO EMPHASISE THAT
INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS OF SAFETY WILL BE MET AT THE PLANT: BUT
THE REAL WORRY AMONG THE POPULATION IS NOT THE CONSTRUCTION
STANDARDS BUT FEAR THAT THE INEXPERIENCE OF CHINESE OPERATORS WILL
LEAD TO THE KIND OF HUMAN ERROR WHICH CAUSED THE THREE MILE ISLAND
AND CHERNOBYL ACCIDENTS.