XN000022-1976-08-29 — Page 3

3

-

TYPHOON SHELTERS

*****

SUNDAY, AUGUST 29, 1976

TO THOUSANDS OF SMALL CRAFT OPERATING WITHIN THE WATERS OF HONG KONG, THE HOISTING OF THE TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING SIGNAL NO. 1 IS THE STARTING SIGNAL FOR A BOAT RACE THE RACE TO SAFETY EVEN THOUGH FOR MOST HONG KONG RESIDENTS THIS IS MERELY A PREPARATORY SIGNAL.

-

ON HEARING THE APPROACH OF A STORM, A GOOD PROPORTION OF VESSELS, INCLUDING FISHING JUNKS, MOTOR CARGO BOATS, LAUNCHES AND LIGHTERS, BEGIN TO FLOCK TO THE VARIOUS TYPHOON SHELTERS FOR REFUGE. SIGNALS HIGHER THAN NO. 1 RESULT IN A FURTHER FLOW OF VESSELS UNTIL THE POINT IS REACHED (USUALLY LONG BEFORE A STORM AFFECTS US) WHEN, NEARLY ALL THE SHELTERS ARE CRAMMED, LEAVING LITTLE ROOM FOR LATE- COMERS. AT THIS POINT APPROXIMATELY 20,000 VESSELS ARE BEING SHELTERED.

OF THE 13 TYPHOON SHELTERS, TOTALLING SOME 550 ACRES, MANAGED BY THE MARINE DEPARTMENT, THE YAU MA TEI AND THE CAUSEWAY BAY SHELTERS ARE THE TWO MOST POPULAR WITHIN THE HARBOUR AREA. THE OTHER SHELTERS ARE SITUATED AT TSING YI, RAMBLER CHANNEL, KOWLOON NORTH CAMBER, KOWLOON SOUTH CAMBER, SAM KA TSUEN, ALDRICH BAY, KWUN TONG, ABERDEEN WEST, ABERDEEN SOUTH, SHUEN WAN AND YIM TIN TSA I THE LAST FOUR ARE OUTSIDE THE HARBOUR.

THE SHELTERS ARE SEPARATELY MANAGED BY THE THREE MARINE LICENSING DISTRICTS - CENTRAL, NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN DISTRICTS OF THE MARINE DEPARTMENT'S SMALL CRAFT LICENSING SECTION.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT POINTED OUT THAT APART FROM THESE SHELTERS, THERE ARE 10 OTHER SHELTERED ANCHORAGES IN VARIOUS PARTS OF HONG KONG, PROVIDING SOME 261 ACRES EXTRA BERTHING SPACE FOR VESSELS IN NEED AND THIS WOULD INCLUDE PLEASURE CRAFT.

ONCE THE STANDBY SIGNAL NO. 1 IS HOISTED, STAFF MEMBERS OF THE MARINE DEPARTMENT WILL BE ON HAND AT THE TYPHOON SHELTERS TO GUIDE THE MOVEMENTS AND BERTHING OF VESSELS SO AS TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE PROPERLY SHELTERED AND ARE CAUSING NO OBSTRUCTION TO THE MAIN AND MINOR FAIRWAYS. THEY ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR RESERVING CONVENIENT BERTHING SPACES FOR FERRIES WHICH USUALLY CARRY ON THE IR SERVICES UNTIL HIGHER TYPHOON SIGNALS ARE HOISTED.

THE SPOKESMAN STRESSED THAT THE MAINTENANCE OF A NUMBER OF FAIRWAYS IN EACH SHELTER IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IN TIME OF EMERGENCY, FOR INSTANCE, DURING THE OUTBREAK OF A FIRE, ASSISTANCE RENDERED BY EMERGENCY SERVICES AND PERSONNEL WOULD DEPEND ENTIRELY ON THEIR ABILITY TO MANEOUVRE SWIFTLY IN THE SHELTERS.

OTHER TIMES WHEN MARINE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN ORDER IN THE TYPHOON SHELTERS ARE DURING THE LUNAR NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS AND OTHER FESTIVAL TIMES WHEN VESSELS, ESPECIALLY FISHING JUNKS, RETURN TO HONG KONG FOR CELEBRATIONS.

/ON NORMAL