Latest news with #GeotechnicalEngineeringOffice
RTHK
4 days ago
- Climate
- RTHK
Black rainstorm signal to be downgraded after 5pm
Black rainstorm signal to be downgraded after 5pm The latest black rainstorm alert is the fourth such warning issued this year. Photo: RTHK The Black Rainstorm Warning will be downgraded at 5.05pm on Tuesday, according to Hong Kong's weather forecaster, as the city experienced record-breaking rainfall. "The areas of thundery showers now affecting the territory are departing gradually. The Observatory will issue the Red or Amber Rainstorm Warning signal to replace the Black Rainstorm Warning signal at 5.05pm," it said. "However, locally there will still be showers, and heavy at times at first. Members of the public are advised to continue to exercise due care. People who have to travel should carefully consider the weather and traffic conditions, and take necessary safety measures." The black alert was issued at 5.50am – the fourth time the top rain warning was in force this year – as downpours battered the city and disrupted many public services. "Until 2pm, 355.7 millimetres of rainfall were recorded at the observatory's headquarters today, breaking the highest daily rainfall record for August since 1884," the forecaster said. The Geotechnical Engineering Office said it has received 15 reports of landslides as of 2.30pm in areas including Sai Kung, Tai Po, Mid-levels and Lantau. There were 25 cases of flooding as of 1pm, according to the Drainage Services Department. Flash floods and landslides had forced a number of roads to close, including parts of To Kwa Wan Road, Bride's Pool Road and Tai Tam Road. A total of 101 flights have been delayed so far, the Airport Authority said. Two other flights were cancelled, while another two arrivals had been diverted to other airports. The Hong Kong Jockey Club said the Mark Six draw originally scheduled for Tuesday evening will be postponed to Thursday "due to adverse weather", with all tickets still valid.
HKFP
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- HKFP
HKFP Lens: Annual Hong Kong Book Fair opens as Breakazine makes final appearance
The 35th edition of the week-long Hong Kong Book Fair opened its doors on Wednesday at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) in Wan Chai. The Hong Kong Book Fair, which runs until Tuesday, is the city's largest book event, showcasing a wide range of publishers and titles. It is held concurrently with the Sports and Leisure Expo, and World of Snacks, with this year's theme: 'Food Culture, Future LIiving.' Over 770 exhibitors are participating in the three events, according to a press release from the book fair. Dozens of booths lined the halls of the HKCEC, each stocked with rows of books from various publishers and genres. Visitors rolled around trolley carts and suitcases filled with books, some using them as makeshift chairs amidst the bustling fair. Readers of all ages, from children to the elderly, could be seen flipping through books, magazines, and other publications. Others opted to try out a virtual reality experience organised by the Geotechnical Engineering Office. Some publications, such as Breakazine, are making their final appearance at the annual fair. The Hong Kong youth and culture magazine ceased publishing in April, citing increasing production costs and changes in people's reading habits, according to a statement published on Facebook in July last year. The city's independent book fair also returned for its third year on Thursday, with a total of 14 publishers taking part. Hunter Bookstore, in Sham Shui Po, and other bookshops are hosting the event, which runs until Sunday. Leticia Wong, owner of Hunter Bookstore, started the alternative book fair in 2023, inviting publishers excluded from the Hong Kong Book Fair in the previous year. At least three independent publishers were rejected from participating in this year's Hong Kong Book Fair. Two of the barred publishers, Bbluesky and Boundary Bookstore, were asked by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), organiser of the Hong Kong Book Fair, to remove certain titles from their shelves at the fair last year.
South China Morning Post
22-06-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
2 Hong Kong pilot schemes testing drones for landslide prevention operations
Two trial projects for drone operations will concentrate on hillside and slope monitoring services, with relevant skills expected to be widely used by next year in an effort to prevent landslides and develop the low-altitude economy, Hong Kong authorities have said. Advertisement The Development Bureau said on Sunday that the Geotechnical Engineering Office had been using drones to help with its work, including inspecting landslide sites, sowing seeds for new vegetation in such areas and conducting research. 'The relevant technologies are expected to be widely applied by 2026, in scenarios including engineering management, slope monitoring and emergency response,' Marion Kan Ka-wing, a geotechnical engineer from the office, said in a bureau blog post. Kan said two sandbox pilot projects had been launched, with the first one in Tai Mong Tsai in Sai Kung focusing on overcoming height restrictions and carrying out extensive natural hillside monitoring, with initial data collection successfully completed. A sandbox is a space where software or new technology can be tried out in a pilot scheme or test environment. She said that the second project involved drones automatically flying along predetermined routes to monitor the condition of designated slopes. Drones will fly along predetermined routes to monitor the condition of certain slopes. Photo: May Tse The project had received flight approval and would begin trials for automatic monitoring along designated routes for artificial slopes and disaster mitigation measures in eastern Hong Kong Island, she said.
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.
