ENG-1988 — Page 381

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THE ENVIRONMENT

tonnes of fresh-water fish and a large amount of livestock were lost. Five people were also injured and a five-year old boy was reported missing. The heavy rain also resulted in several landslips at various locations throughout the territory.

Rainfall in August was above normal. The rainfall during the month resulted from either a trough of low pressure along the South China coastal areas or an active southwest monsoon; none was associated with a tropical cyclone. This was the second August since 1950 in which no tropical cyclone occurred over the South China Sea. A waterspout associated with severe thunderstorms occurred off the southeast coast of Ap Lei Chau at around noon on August 16. The waterspout moved over land briefly and caused some minor damage before dissipating. Flooding also occurred in various parts of the territory during the rain fall on August 14 and 18. It was also rainy on August 30 and 31.

Although Typhoon Kit posed a threat to Hong Kong in September and led to the hoisting of the Strong Wind Signal No. 3, it did not bring any significant amount of rain. The 109.9 millimetres of rainfall recorded in September was 66 per cent below the normal of 320.4 millimetres. Over the western North Pacific and the South China Sea, tropical cyclone activity was very intense. This was the fifth September since 1946 when as many as eight tropical cyclones formed in the region.

October was cooler and drier than usual. The minimum temperature of 15.3°C recorded on October 31 was the fifth lowest minimum temperature on record for the month. The 61.8 millimetres of rainfall for the month fell short of the normal 121.2 millimetres by 49 per cent although two tropical cyclones, Pat and Ruby, threatened Hong Kong and both required the hoisting of the Strong Wind Signal No. 3. Although the weather was not exceptionally dry, a total of 110 hill fires occurred on October 19, Chung Yeung Festival Day, and as a result 1 000 trees and 97 hectares of plantation land were scorched.

November rainfall was below normal. The month's total of 25.6 millimetres, was only 74 per cent of the normal for November. The mean maximum temperature of 22.4°C was the fifth lowest on record for November while the mean atmospheric pressure of 1 019.7 hPa was the fifth highest on record for the month.

Mean cloud of 30 per cent in December was the sixth lowest on record for the month. On the other hand, a wet spell at the end of December brought the total rainfall for the month to 106.6 millimetres. This is about four times the normal of 25.3 millimetres and is the sixth highest on record for December.

Royal Observatory

The Royal Observatory was established in 1883, mainly to provide scientific information for the safe navigation of ships. In the ensuing century, the observatory has evolved in line with the changing needs of the community. It now provides meteorological and other geophysical information, issues forecasts, warning and weather advisories to meet the multifarious requirements of the public, shipping, aviation, industry, fishing, recreation, off-shore oil prospecting and other special users.

The observatory continues to operate the official time service for Hong Kong. It also maintains a comprehensive seismological monitoring network, monitors the level of radioactivity and provides services in the fields of hydrometeorology, climatology, astro- nomy, physical oceanography and applied meteorology.

The most important function remains the provision of weather forecasting services and issuance of tropical cyclone, flood and landslip warnings. The Central Forecasting Office issues weather forecasts and warnings to the mass media, ships at sea and fishermen and yachtsmen in coastal waters. Whenever Hong Kong is threatened by tropical cyclones,