XN000022-1976-10-02 — Page 5

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1976

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BEACH ATTENDANCE

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TOTAL ATTENDANCE AT BEACHES ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND IN THE NEW TERRITORIES WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 15,000,000 IN LAST YEAR'S SWIMMING SEASON.

THE MOST POPULAR BEACH WAS DEEP WATER BAY WITH AN ATTENDANCE OF 2,311,000, TO BE FOLLOWED BY SHEK O, REPULSE BAY AND STANLEY MAIN BEACH ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND LIDO BEACH IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

AT THE SAME TIME, PUBLIC SWIMMING POOLS WERE ALSO HEAVILY USED AND TOTAL ATTENDANCE OF MORE THAN 3,151,000 WAS RECORDED.

THE NUMBER OF SWIMMERS WHO RAN INTO DIFFICULTIES DROPPED BY 32 PER CENT TO 624, COMPRISING 273 AT POOLS AND 351 AT BEACHES.

IN ADDITION, THERE WERE ELEVEN DROWNINGS, A DROP OF 45 PER CENT COMPARED WITH THOSE IN THE PREVIOUS SWIMMING SEASON. ALL THE DROWNINGS OCCURRED AT BEACHES.

THE FIRST NEW TERRITORIES PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL WAS OPENED IN TSUEN WAN ON JULY 21, 1975, BRINING TO EIGHT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL COMPLEXES.

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