Latest news with #GeotechnicalEngineeringOffice
South China Morning Post
28-05-2025
- Climate
- South China Morning Post
Technology can help as Hong Kong's rainy season poses threat of landslides
The distinctive topography of Hong Kong, with steep hills rising majestically from the sea and skyscrapers sandwiched in between, gives the city its beauty. But the presence of densely populated areas so close to soaring slopes means landslides are a constant danger, especially during torrential summer rains. A stark reminder was provided in September 2023, when the worst rainstorm in more than a century caused severe landslides and widespread flooding. The resulting disruption highlighted weaknesses in the city's preparedness and response. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu promised improvements. He spoke of 'technological constraints'. Those limitations are gradually being removed – and not before time. Slope safety was one of the areas of concern. Shek O was cut off when mudslides and debris blocked the road. Shau Kei Wan, meanwhile, was hit by the largest rockfall recorded in almost 100 years, with a source area close to 2,000 square metres (22,000 square feet). An urgent response was needed. The Geotechnical Engineering Office conducted an extensive review of risk-reduction strategies. The focus was on natural slopes in crucial areas such as busy roads with sole points of access. Now, new technology is to be deployed in a bid to improve the identification of risky slopes and the ability to spot landslides and respond to them in emergencies – a necessary step.
South China Morning Post
19-05-2025
- Climate
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong to map safety risks of city's numerous natural slopes using drones
Hong Kong authorities will use drones under a pilot project to create a catalogue of hundreds of thousands of natural slopes in the city for safety, following the identification of three large-scale, high-risk sites. Advertisement Lawrence Shum Ka-wah, the deputy head of the Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO) on Hong Kong Island, said on Monday his team would also test a landslide prediction model this rainy season after the city recorded the largest rockfall incident in nearly a century at Shau Kei Wan in 2023. The three high-risk sites are areas near Jardine's Lookout in Wan Chai, Violet Hill in Tai Tam Country Park, and Tai Wo Ping near Beacon Hill at the foot of Lion's Rock. 'It does not mean that landslides will occur at these three areas, but they have been identified for hazard assessment and necessary mitigation works,' he said. Shum revealed that 181 landslides occurred in Hong Kong last year, down from the annual average of about 300 incidents, as the city experienced 5 per cent less rainfall and fewer rainstorms. Advertisement He noted that 20 per cent of the landslides in the past 60 years occurred on natural hillsides with no prior history, thus posing considerable risks and affecting critical infrastructure. Shum said that the office aimed to expand its Smart Slope Register catalogue of man-made slopes to include all natural terrains in Hong Kong, which he estimated to be a six-digit figure.
RTHK
19-05-2025
- Climate
- RTHK
Measures planned to prevent landslides
Measures planned to prevent landslides In 2023, Hong Kong saw its largest recorded rockfall in a century at Yiu Hing Road in Shau Kei Wan. File photo: AFP The Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO) on Monday said it will launch a series of risk management and prevention measures to help make sure slopes across the city can withstand extreme weather. This includes expanding the office's slope catalogue to cover natural hillsides, to better analyse landslide risks and put prevention plans in place. Tests will be carried out on an automatic system for monitoring slopes with drones during periods of heavy rain, while environmental data will be collected to help the office and rescue teams come up with contingency plans for any incidents. 'After adopting the automatic system, we can allow the drones to arrive at different sites, including our LPM [Landslip Preventive Measures] construction sites, slope and landslide sites,' said Lawrence Shum, a GEO deputy head. 'By doing so, they can capture instantly the information of areas, and help us identify some progress of sites, and actual condition of landslide sites and whether we should deploy more resources to handle emergencies,' he added. The office said it received a total of 181 landslide reports last year. None of them caused any casualties. 'There were no fatalities last year not because the incidents were minor, but instead, the landslides did not hit any buildings or roads,' Shum said. In 2023, Hong Kong saw its largest recorded rockfall in a century at Yiu Hing Road in Shau Kei Wan during heavy rain, while a landslide also closed Shek O Road for two days.
