XN000022-1992-05-11 — Page 2

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MONDAY, MAY 11, 1992

WORK CONTINUING TO RESTABILISE SLOPES

THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS, MR JAMES BLAKE, TODAY (MONDAY) REITERATED PREVIOUS ASSURANCES THAT EVERYTHING POSSIBLE IS BEING DONE TO RESTORE CONFIDENCE IN THE SLOPE ABOVE BAGUIO VILLA AND ON KENNEDY ROAD WHICH WERE DESTABILISED BY LAST FRIDAY'S RAINSTORM.

"THE

ON

GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING OFFICE IS WORKING VIGOROUSLY MEASURES ΤΟ RESTABILISE THE SLOPES AND TO DETERMINE THE CAUSES OF SLOPE FAILURES.

"IT IS PLANNED THAT AN INITIAL REVIEW WILL BE MADE WITHIN A WEEK AND THAT A DETAILED REVIEW WILL BE COMPLETED NO LATER THAN A MONTH FROM NOW, HE SAID.

"

MR BLAKE SAID THE INTENSITY OF LAST FRIDAY'S RAINSTORM WAS COMPARABLE TO THAT IN MAY 1982 WHICH RESULTED IN MORE THAN 1,000 LANDSLIDES AND TO THE ONE IN JUNE 1972 WHICH RESULTED IN 138 DEATHS.

"WHILE IT IS A TRAGIC FACT THAT LAST FRIDAY'S RAINSTORM CAUSED FOUR DEATHS AND TWO SIGNIFICANT SLOPE FAILURES, THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE SERIOUS HAD WE NOT PROGRESSED A LONG WAY ALONG THE PROGRAMMED INVESTIGATION AND REMEDIAL WORKS TO STABILISE DANGEROUS SLOPES IN HONG KONG,

'DURING THE PAST 15 YEARS, ALMOST $910 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT

ON CAPITAL WORKS FOR SLOPE IMPROVEMENT.

"THE PROGRAMME IS NOW IN AN ADVANCED STAGE, TARGETING AT SLOPES THAT ARE JUDGED AS SUFFICIENTLY LOW-RISK TO BE INCLUDED IN THE LONG- TERM SLOPE REHABILITATION PROGRAMME.

"WE ARE SPENDING SOME $70 MILLION ANNUALLY ON THE PROGRAMME."

MR BLAKE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT ABOUT 60,000 SQUATTERS HAD BEEN MOVED FROM DANGEROUS SLOPES, LEAVING ONLY AROUND 2,000 STILL LIVING ON HIGH-RISK SLOPES.

AT THE BEGINNING OF WET SEASON, THE DISTRICT OFFICES DISTRIBUTE LEAFLETS IN THE SQUATTER AREAS GIVING WARNING OF THE THREAT OF SLOPE FAILURE AND ADVICE ON STAYING AWAY FROM THEIR HUTS IN TIMES OF HEAVY RAIN AND STORMS.

AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, THE GOVERNMENT'S LANDSLIP WARNING SYSTEM IS IN USE THIS YEAR. DURING A LANDSLIP WARNING, SQUATTERS LIVING ON STEEP SLOPES ARE URGED, THROUGH RADIO AND TV ANNOUNCEMENTS, TO TAKE REFUGE IN TEMPORARY SHELTERS MADE AVAILABLE BY DISTRICT OFFICES.

MR BLAKE COMMENTED THAT WHILE THERE IS NO 100% FOOL-PROOF METHOD ΤΟ ENTIRELY AVOID THE POTENTIAL LANDSLIDE THREAT, THE GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO MINIMISING SUCH RISKS THROUGH ITS VIGOROUS SLOPE CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT WORKS PROGRAMME. A MEANS OF ALLOWING ACCESS TO THE REGISTER OF SLOPES WHICH IS BEING HELD WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO TO BE FOUND.

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