XN000022-1983-07-28 — Page 10

THURSDAY, JULY 28, 1983

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HK TAKING PART IN TYPHOON STUDY PROJECT

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TWO OFFICERS FROM THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY WILL REPRESENT HONG KONG IN THE FOLLOW-UP PHASE OF THE INTER-GOVERNMENTAL TYPHOON OPERATIONAL EXPERIMENT TOPEX TO BE HELD BETWEEN AUGUST 1 AND OCTOBER 15 THIS YEAR.

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IN THIS FIELD PHASE OF THE EXPERIMENT. THE TWO HONG KONG OFFICERS WILL WORK IN THE INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENT CENTRE IN TOKYO, JAPAN.

AT THE SAME TIME, AN EXPERIMENT SUB-CENTRE WILL BE SET UP AT THE ROYAL OBSERVATÓRY IN HONG KONG, ENABLING HONG KONG TO LIAISE WITH THE TOKYO-BASED MAIN CENTRE IN CARRYING OUT A PROGRAMME OF OBSERVATIONS, ANALYSES AND FORECASTS DURING ACTUAL TYPHOON CONDITIONS.

THE AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT, IS TO IMPROVE THE CAPABILITIES IN THE REGION TO ANALYSE, FORECAST AND ISSUE WARNINGS SO THAT THE COMMUNITY MAY BE BETTER PREPARED AGAINST THE DAMAGE THAT CAN BE CAUSED BY FLOODING AND THE STORMS, SAID A SPOKESMAN FOR THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY.

+UNDER THIS EXPERIMENT. MORE OBSERVATIONAL DATA WILL BE COLLECTED ON THE MOVEMENT, GENERATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF TYPHOONS IN THE WESTERN NORTH PACIFIC AND THE SOUTH CHINA SEA, HE SAID,+

THE PROJECT, TOPEX, IS LAUNCHED BY AN INTER-GOVERNMENTAL TYPHOON COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED JOINTLY BY THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC (ESCAP) AND THE WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANISATION (WMO). ITS AIM IS TO HELP MINIMISE TYPHOON DAMAGE.

THE PARTICIPATING MEMBERS ARE CHINA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, MALAYSIA, THE PHILIPPINES, REPUBLIC OF KOREA, THAILAND AND VIETNAM.

MEET-THE-PUBLIC SESSION EXTENDED

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THE MEET-THE-PUBLIC SESSION IN SAI KUNG WILL BE EXTENDED TO TWO REMOTE PLACES IN THE DISTRICT STARTING NEXT MONTH, MAKING IT MORE CONVENIENT FOR RESIDENTS TO CHANNEL THEIR VIEWS AND SUGGESTIONS TO THE DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS.

AT PRESENT, MEMBERS ARE MEETING THE RESIDENTS ONCE A WEEK AT THE SAI KUNG DISTRICT OFFICE BRANCH OFFICE IN MAN NIN STREET.

STARTING FROM AUGUST, THE SESSIONS WILL ALSO BE HELD IN THE HANG HAU RURAL COMMITTEE OFFICE AND THE RENNIE'S MILL SERVICE CENTRE ON A ROTATION BASIS.

/MERERING TIMES

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