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THE ENVIRONMENT

To monitor earthquake activities in the vicinity of Hong Kong, the Observatory operates a network of eight short-period seismograph stations. Long-period seismographs at the Observatory's headquarters detect tremors world-wide and information on significant tremors is made public through the media. On average, Hong Kong experiences about two minor earth tremors every year.

The Hong Kong Time Standard is provided by a caesium beam atomic clock. Accuracy within fractions of a microsecond a day is maintained. A six-pip time signal is sent to Radio Television Hong Kong for broadcast at quarter-hour intervals. The time checking service is also available to the public through the Observatory's Telephone Information Enquiry System as well as through a Network Time Service at its home page. The Network Time Service provided about 270 million checks in 2003.

Home Pages

Environment, Transport and Works Bureau: http://www.etwb.gov.hk Economic Development and Labour Bureau: http://www.edlb.gov.hk

Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department: http://www.afcd.gov.hk Environmental Protection Department: http://www.epd.gov.hk

Hong Kong Observatory: http://www.hko.gov.hk and http://www.weather.gov.hk

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