XN000022-1979-05-10 — Page 6

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THURSDAY, MAY 10, 1979

PLANS FOR THIS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND THE NECESSARY FUNDS RAISED, HE ADDED.

THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT THIS REMARKABLE+ RECORD OF SERVICE IN A VERY DIFFICULT FIELD AND THE CONSTANT EXPANSION TO MEET ESSENTIAL NEEDS IN A COMMUNITY DID NOT COME BY ACCIDENT.

+THIS IS PURELY THE RESULT OF DEDICATION AND HARD WORK BY CONCERNED MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY, THE SOCIETY AND THE GOVERNMENT,+ HE ADDED.

RAINFALL IN APRIL ABOVE AVERAGE

*****

APRIL 1979 WAS MUCH WETTER THAN USUAL, WITH RAINFALL TOTALLING 234.5 MM, WHICH WAS 73 PER CENT ABOVE AVERAGE.

RAINFALL FROM JANUARY 1 UNTIL APRIL 30 TOTALLED 360.9 MM 102.9 MM ABOVE AVERAGE.

THE MONTH WAS ALSO CLOUDIER AND LESS SUNNY THAN USUAL, THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY SAID IN ITS MONTHLY SUMMARY RELEASED TODAY.

ALTHOUGH THE MEAN TEMPERATURE FOR APRIL WAS SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL, THE APRIL 26 TEMPERATURE REACHED A MAXIMUM OF 32.4 DEGRÉES CELSIUS, THE HIGHEST IN ANY APRIL SINCE 1956. THE RECORD ‘APRIL ́MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE OF 33.4 DEGREES CELSIUS WAS RECORDED ON APRIL 27, 1956.

THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH WAS VERY WARM BUT WHEN AN INTENSE COLD FRONT PASSED THROUGH HONG KONG THE NEXT MORNING, TEMPERATURES DROPPED MARKEDLY FROM 25 DEGREES CELSIUS IN THE MORNING TO 15 DEGREES IN THE EVENING.

THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FALL OCCURRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ARRIVAL OF THE FRONT AROUND 11 A.M. WHEN TEMPERATURES AT THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY DROPPED SIX DEGREES WITHIN ONE HOUR THE ARRIVAL OF THE INTENSE COLD FRONT ALSO BROUGHT HEAVY SQUALLY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO HONG KONG.

ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS, HAIL LASTING FOR A FEW MINUTES OCCURRED AROUND 8.30 A.M. IN SHA TAU KOK AND PING CHAU.

AN OIL BARGE SANK OFF LANTAU, A SAILING DINGHY CAPSIZED OFF CHUNG HOM KOK AND FIVE VESSELS BROKE THEIR ANCHOR CHAINS AND WERE ADRIFT.

A MINOR LANDSLIP OCCURRED IN AU TAU AND FLOODING WAS REPORTED IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE TERRITORY. ROAD TRAFFIC WAS HEAVILY CONGESTED.

/ALTHOUGH