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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1984
+RAINFALL DATA ALSO ASSIST IN THE SITING AND DESIGNING OF RESERVOIRS AND CATCHMENT AREAS, AS WELL AS IN WATER QUALITY CONTROL STUDIES BEING CARRIED OUT BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.
+BOOKS LIKE PROBABLE MAXIMUM RAINFALL IN HONG KONG' AND 'A DESIGN RAINSTORM PROFILE FOR HONG KONG PUBLISHED BY THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY, HAVE PROVED VERY USEFUL TO LOCAL CONSULTANCY AND ENGINEERING FIRMS, + MR LAM SAID.
POLICE INVESTIGATIONS OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AND CRIMINAL
CASES ALSO MAKE USE OF RAINFALL RECORDS.
+DURING COURT PROCEEDINGS, CERTIFIED DOCUMENTS OF PAST RAINFALL DATA ARE GIVEN AS COURT EVIDENCE IN CONNECTION WITH THESE CASES,+ HE SAID.
SUCH CERTIFIED DOCUMENTS ARE ALSO USED IN SETTLING DISPUTES IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY.
THESE DISPUTES, INVOLVING BUILDING CONTRACTORS, HOUSING AND VARIOUS GOVERNMENT WORKS DEPARTMENTS, ARISE FROM WET WEATHER, CAUSING DELAY IN CONSTRUCTION WORK.
+ IN CASE A CONSIGNMENT BY SEA IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN DAMAGED THROUGH NEGLIGENCE DUR ING RAINY DAYS, INSURANCE FIRMS ALSO APPROACH US FOR RAINFALL RECORDS FOR VERIFICATION.
+ THE OBSERVATORY HANDLES AN ANNUAL AVERAGE OF 300 REQUESTS FOR CERTIFIED RAINFALL DOCUMENTS, + MR LAM SAID.
TO MEET SHIPPING, AVIATION, RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND GENERAL PUBLIC NEEDS, RAINFALL MEASUREMENTS, TOGETHER WITH OTHER WEATHER DATA, ARE AVAILABLE IN WEATHER BULLETINS AND FORECASTS.
IT IS STILL NOT POSSIBLE TO MAKE RELIABLE LONG-TERM RAINFALL FORECASTS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
+RAINFALL FORECASTING BEYOND A MONTH OR SO CAN ONLY BE DONE BY USING STATISTICAL AND EMPIRICAL METHODS.
+THE REASON IS THAT THERE IS AT PRESENT NO SATISFACTORY ANALYTICAL METHOD TO ESTABLISH THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RAINFALL AND VARIOUS PHYSICAL PHENOMENA IN SUCH A TIME SCALE.
+EVEN IN ADVANCED COUNTRIES, LONG-TERM RAINFALL FORECASTING BASED ON PHYSICAL PRINCIPLES AND ́USING SOPHISTICATED COMPUTER SYSTEMS IS STILL IN ITS EMBRYONIC STAGE,+ MR LAM SAID.
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