XN000022-1992-05-13 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1992

ON

MOST OCCASIONS HEAVY RAINSTORMS DO NOT DEVELOP INTO THE SORT OF INUNDATION WE SAW LAST FRIDAY AND IT WOULD CLEARLY BE A MISTAKE TO TRIGGER A FULL EMERGENCY RESPONSE EVERY TIME. IT IS ALSO CLEAR THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO FORECAST ACCURATELY THE LEVEL OF RAIN FALL. WE BELIEVE THEREFORE THAT THE SECOND STAGE OF THE RAINSTORM ALERT SYSTEM SHOULD BE TRIGGERED BY THE ACTUAL RAIN FALL LEVELS BEING RECORDED THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY. AS WE WILL ALREADY HAVE ALERTED THE RELEVANT GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS BEFORE THE RAIN STARTS TO FALL THIS SYSTEM WILL ENSURE THAT WE ARE READY TO RESPOND QUICKLY AND FLEXIBLY ONCE IT BECOMES CLEAR THAT WE MIGHT HAVE ΤΟ CONTEND WITH SERIOUS DIFFICULTIES. AND IT IS AT THIS STAGE THAT THE PUBLIC WILL BE GIVEN EARLY AND CLEAR ADVICE ON HOW TO RESPOND.

WE ARE STILL WORKING ON THE DETAILS OF THESE ARRANGEMENTS BUT OUR AIMS ARE CLEAR. WE WANT A SYSTEM BASED ON OBJECTIVE TRIGGERS WHICH LEADS TO A HIGH STATE OF PREPAREDNESS BY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS. WE ALSO NEED TO RESPOND FLEXIBLY SO THAT THE PUBLIC IS GIVEN CLEAR AND APPROPRIATE ADVICE. I CAN ASSURE MEMBERS THAT WE SHALL COMPLETE THIS WORK VERY QUICKLY AND MAKE KNOWN THE DETAILS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

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ONE OF THE DIFFICULTIES LAST FRIDAY WAS THAT THE STORM STRUCK BETWEEN 6 7 A.M. AND DISRUPTED SCHOOLING ARRANGEMENTS. THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION WAS CONCERNED TO AVOID A SITUATION IN WHICH SOME CHILDREN SET OFF FOR THEIR SCHOOLS IN DIFFICULT CONDITIONS ONLY TO FIND THE SCHOOLS CLOSED OR THAT THERE WAS NO TEACHER THERE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. BUT OUR RESPONSES MUST BE SUFFICIENTLY FLEXIBLE TO COPE EVEN IF THE EMERGENCY ARISES AT THE MOST INCONVENIENT OR DIFFICULT TIME. THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION IS ALREADY WORKING ON A PLAN TO ACHIEVE THIS AND IS GETTING MAXIMUM COOPERATION FROM THE SCHOOLS. FOLLOWING ON FROM THE EVENTS OF LAST WEEK WE ARE ALL AGREED THAT IT IS BETTER TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION AND CLOSE THE SCHOOLS. THIS WILL CERTAINLY BE OUR GUIDELINE IN THE FUTURE.

I WOULD NOW LIKE TO INFORM MEMBERS OF THE PRESENT POSITION WITH THE MORE THAN 175 LANDSLIPS WHICH OCCURRED DURING THE STORM. THE GREAT MAJORITY OF THESE POSED NO SERIOUS THREAT OF INJURY OR DISRUPTION TO COMMUNICATIONS. OUR WORKS DEPARTMENTS MOVED QUICKLY

ΤΟ DEAL WITH THE LANDSLIPS, PARTICULARLY THOSE AFFECTING PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMMUNICATIONS. MORE THAN 100 GEOTECHNICAL STAFF, SCORES OF OTHER ENGINEERS AND HUNDREDS OF CONTRACTOR'S STAFF WERE DEPLOYED AND REMEDIAL WORKS WERE SET IN HAND. ALL EXCEPT 4 OR 5 ROADS WERE CLEARED WITHIN 24 HOURS AND PROTECTIVE WORKS FOR MANY OF THE LANDSLIPS WERE CARRIED OUT WITHIN THE SAME PERIOD.

THE HIGHEST 24-HOUR RAINFALL OCCURRED IN THE NORTH WESTERN CORNER OF HONG KONG ISLAND, WHERE BAGUIO VILLAS IS SITUATED. I CAN ASSURE THOSE RESIDENTS OF BAGUIO VILLAS WHO HAVE HAD TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO COMPLETE OUR GEOTECHNICAL WORK AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. SAFETY MUST BE THE HIGHEST PRIORITY BUT WE UNDERSTAND THE UNHAPPINESS AND DISRUPTION FACED BY RESIDENTS OF THE AFFECTED BLOCKS. BY THE END OF THIS WEEK WE WILL BE IN A POSITION TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER IT IS SAFE FOR RESIDENTS TO RETURN TO BLOCK 26.

/WE ARE