XN000022-1976-06-10 — Page 5

THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1976

H K EXPERIENCES ANOTHER DRY MONTH

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MAY WAS THE FIFTH CONSECUTIVE MONTH WITH BELOW-AVERAGE RAINFALL. THE ACCUMULATED RAINFALL FOR THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF THE YEAR WAS ONLY 309.5 MM WHICH IS ABOUT HALF OF THE AVERAGE AMOUNT.

THE MONTH OF MAY WAS MUCH WARMER THOUGH LESS SUNNY THAN USUAL. THE FIRST HALF OF THE MONTH WAS MAINLY CLOUDY WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS.

A COLD FRONT CROSSED THE SOUTH CHINA COAST OVERNIGHT ON MAY 3 CAUSING THE AIR TEMPERATURE TO DROP FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS. ON MAY 5, A MINIMUM OF, 17.4 DEGREES CELSIUS WAS RECORDED BEING THE LOWEST EVER TO BE RECORDED IN ANY MAY SINCE 1917.

FROM MAY 16 TO 21, THE WEATHER REMAINED MAINLY FINE AND SUNNY WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS. A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE, HOWEVER, PASSED THROUGH HONG KONG DURING THE NIGHT OF MAY 21 BRINGING WITH IT HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. IN THREE HOURS 59.4 MM OF RAINFALL WAS RECORDED AT THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY.

THE WEATHER IMPROVED ON MAY 22 AND THE NEXT FIVE DAYS WERE FINE AND SUNNY WHILE TYPHOON OLGA REMAINED ALMOST STATIONARY NEAR LUZON. ON MAY 26, THE AIR TEMPERATURE ROSE TO A MAXIMUM OF 35.2 DEGREES CELSIUS WHICH IS THE SECOND HIGHEST TEMPERATURE ON RECORD FOR THE MONTH OF MAY.

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WITH THE DEPARTURE OF TYPHOON OLGA FROM LUZON TOWARDS THE RYUKYU ISLANDS ON MAY 27, THE SOUTHWEST MONSOON BEGAN TO AFFECT SOUTH CHINA AND THE WEATHER IN HONG KONG BECAME CLOUDY WITH SHOWERS AND OCCASIONAL THUNDERSTORMS FROM MAY 28 UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH.

NOTE TO EDITORS :

A MORE DETAILED WEATHER REPORT BY THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY WILL BE DISTRIBUTED IN THE GIS PRESS BOXES.

ROLES AND FUNCTIONS OF VOLUNTEERS IN NATURAL DISASTERS

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ABOUT 100 YOUNG VOLUNTEERS WILL ATTEND A BRIEFING THIS SATURDAY (JUNE 12) ON THEIR ROLES AND FUNCTIONS IN RELIEF WORK IN TIMES OF NATURAL DISASTERS.

THE BRIEFING ALSO AIMS TO INTRODUCE TO THE VOLUNTEERS THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT RELIEF PROCEDURES, THE NEEDS THAT MAY ARISE AT DISASTER SITES AND THE ASSISTANCE REQUIRED IN AFTERCARE RELIEF.

IT WILL BE HELD AT THE LADY TRENCH TRAINING CENTRE, 44 01 KWAN ROAD AT 2.30 P.M.

THE FUNCTION ORGANISED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT'S COMMUNITY AND YOUTH OFFICE OF WAN CHAI, ALSO INCLUDES AN OPEN FORUM, VISITS TO TEMPORARY TYPHOON SHELTERS AND THE HAPPY VALLEY KITCHEN.

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