MONDAY, MAY 9, 1983
DR BRAND SAID THAT GENERALLY SPEAKING, HONG KONG'S SLOPES WERE AS SAFE AS COULD BE EXPECTED IN THE CÍRCUMSTANCES OF DENSE URBAN DEVELOPMENT ON STEEP SLOPES OF RESIDUAL SOIL WHICH WERE SUBJECTED TO INTENSE RAINFALL.
+SLOPE FAILURES WILL CONTINUE TO OCCUR DURING TIMES OF EXCEPTIONALLY HEAVY RAINFALL, BUT IT IS HOPED THAT A MAJOR CATASTROPHE OF THE KIND THAT HAS OCCURRED IN THE PAST WILL NEVER TAKE PLACE AGAIN,+ HE SAID.
+HOWEVER, SQUATTER VILLAGES ON STEEP HILLSIDES WILL CONTINUE TO BE A SOURCE OF CONCERN. THE GEOTECHNICAL CONTROL OFFICE IS NOT COMPLACENT ABOUT THE OVERALL SITUATION WITH REGARD TO SLOPE STABILITY, AND THERE WILL CERTAINLY BE NO RELAXATION OF EFFORTS IN THIS DIRECTION.+
J
IN HONG KONG. THE NUMBER OF DEATHS RESULTING FROM LANDSLIDES OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS HAS AVERAGED LESS THAN 15 PER YEAR, INCLUSIVE OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE KILLED IN THE FEW MAJOR CATASTROPHES.
THIS FIGURE COMPARES WITH ABOUT 400 DEATHS PER YEAR WHICH AT PRESENT OCCUR AS A RESULT OF ROAD ACCIDENTS. THE PROBABILITY OF SOMEONE BEING KILLED OR INJURED FROM A LANDSLIDE IS THEREFORE MUCH LOWER THAN THE PROBABILITY OF HIS DEATH OR INJURY ON THE ROADS OF HONG KONG.
DESPITE THIS, DR BRAND SAID, THE GOVERNMENT WAS UNHAPPY ABOUT EVEN ONE DEATH FROM LANDSLIDES, AND EVERY EFFORT WOULD CONTINUE TO BE MADE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CASUALTIES FROM THESE INCIDENTS.
GOVERNOR TO VISIT MACAU
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THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, WILL PAY AN INFORMAL ONE-DAY VISIT TO MACAU ON MAY 19 (THURSDAY) AT THE INVITATION OF MACAU GOVERNOR VASCO DE ALMEIDA E COSTA,
SIR EDWARD WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LADY YOUDE: THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SIR S.Y. CHUNG: THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR ROGER LOBO THE POLITICAL ADVISER, MR ROBIN MCLAREN, AND THE AIDE-DE-CAMP.
THE GOVERNOR AND HIS PARTY WILL ARRIVE IN MACAU IN MID-MORNING AND WILL RETURN TO HONG KONG IN THE LATE AFTERNOON.
DURING THEIR VISIT, THEY WILL BE GUESTS OF HONOUR AT A LUNCHEON HOSTED BY THE MACAU GOVERNOR AND HIS WIFE AT SANTA SANCHA PALACE.
SIR EDWARD WILL BE BRIEFED ON THE SITUATION IN MACAU AND THE TERRITORY'S MAIN DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
HE WILL ALSO BE VISITING PLACES OF INTEREST.
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