Hong Kong – Government completely dedicated to reducing effect of Super Typhoon Ragasa on Hong Kong (with pictures)

Super Typhoon Ragasa brought hurricane-force winds to lots of parts of Hong Kong, triggering flooding in seaside and low-lying locations due to overtopping waves and storm rises. The guiding committee on managing severe weather condition, led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, with extensive preparation and extensive preparation, quickly co-ordinated with different appropriate federal government departments to reduce the effect of the tropical storm on the general public. As Ragasa slowly moved far from Hong Kong later on today, different federal government departments, while prioritising security, immediately started detailed healing efforts to bring back normalcy as rapidly as possible.

Mr Chan visited this afternoon (September 24) a website in the Central and Western District impacted by fallen trees and a landslide to check the clean-up and healing development by departments such as the Fire Services Department (FSD), the Highways Department (HyD), and the Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO). He then chaired a conference of the guiding committee on managing severe weather condition to get updates from the heads of appropriate bureaux and departments and adequately evaluation emergency situation reaction and healing efforts of numerous federal government departments.

Federal government departments are mobilising all needed workforce and resources to speed up cleaning challenges from significant roadways and bus paths. According to existing clean-up evaluations by pertinent departments, significant roadways and public transportation are anticipated to resume when the Hong Kong Observatory concerns the Strong Wind Signal No. 3, enabling the city to resume normalcy.

The Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre under the Security Bureau was totally triggered more than 24 hours before the Hong Kong Observatory released the No. 8 Gale or Storm Signal, making sure the very best top priorities for emergency situation decision-making, aiming to reduce the effect of the unfavorable weather condition on the general public.

The Development Bureau (DEVB) is preserving close intermediary with numerous works departments and the Buildings Department (BD) to release resources of specialists to accelerate the development of the healing work.

* Regarding flooding, 19 flooding cases have actually been verified since 5pm today. With the efforts of the Drainage Services Department (DSD)’s emergency situation action groups and the support of the mobile effective pumping robotics, 14 cases have actually been dealt with. The DSD is presently dealing with the staying 5 flooding cases and is positive of fixing them within one to 2 hours. The DSD carried out analysis and made implementation ahead of time before the beginning of the incredibly tropical cyclone and was geared up with mobile effective pumping robotics on standby, adding to the quick handling of possible flooding cases throughout the passage of the incredibly hurricane in Hong Kong. When all flooding cases have actually been fixed, the DSD will perform evaluations and perform clearance at about 240 flood-prone areas. Furthermore, the DSD will analyze the drain conditions of 80 significant rivers and drain channels to guarantee their smooth operation.

* Regarding the security of structures, the Emergency Control Centre of the BD has actually gotten an overall of 25 emergency situation reports associated with signboards and scaffoldings at building websites, 22 of which have actually been solved. The BD proactively examined building and construction websites beside significant roadways beforehand to decrease events brought on by the extremely hurricane as much as possible. After the tropical cyclone, the BD has actually likewise introduced unique patrols to determine prospective threats occurring from loosened up or harmed signboards, scaffoldings, windows and appendages along significant roadways and in high-risk structures in different districts.

* Regarding landslides, since 5pm, the GEO got an overall of 4 reports of landslides in Sai Ying Pun, Tuen Mun, Stanley and Chung Pui. 2 occurrences included slope and maintaining wall failures triggered by fallen trees. The GEO has actually scheduled geotechnical engineers to help pertinent departments for follow-up work. The Emergency Control Centre of the GEO will stay in operation to deal with reports of landslide events got up until the hazard is raised.

* Regarding fallen trees, different pertinent departments will accelerate the handling of them. To improve performance, the DEVB previously determined some 50 plots of federal government land in different districts for the departments’ momentary storage of fallen trees and particles in neighboring locations before sending them to land fills for disposal. After the passage of the tropical storm, tree management departments will examine trees in locations with high pedestrian and car circulation and take proper steps, consisting of stabilising trees, eliminating dangling damaged branches, and eliminating fallen or unsteady trees. In case of clog of rural roadways triggered by fallen trees, members of the general public might look for help through the 1823 Mobile App, by calling 1823 or sending out an e-mail to tellme@1823.gov.hk. Cases will be described pertinent departments for follow-up as suitable

In addition, after tropical cyclones and rainstorms, trees, slopes and the structures might likewise be impacted due to a big consumption of water into soil and surface area layers. Members of the general public ought to for that reason stay alert when going outdoors and prevent extended stays under trees, slopes and structures with indications of concrete spalling.

The FSD, by 5pm today, managed an overall of 143 reports of individuals caught in lifts, 454 reports from automated emergency alarm systems, 393 reports of fallen trees and 2 reports of landslides. Help was supplied to 61 individuals to safe locations in 16 flooding occurrences. The FSD has actually co-ordinated with different departments, consisting of the HyD and the Transport Department (TD), for fast cleaning of fallen trees obstructing significant roadways, guaranteeing the smooth circulation of primary roadways and rescue paths stay unblocked. Appropriate work will be performed overnight.

The Emergency Transport Coordination Centre (ETCC) of the TD has actually intensified its functional level and has actually been running round the clock throughout the tropical storm. It carefully kept an eye on traffic and transportation conditions on significant paths, consisting of trunk roadways, tunnels and bridges throughout the area. The ETCC accelerated evaluation of the hurricane’s effect on traffic with pertinent departments and public transportation operators, and guided operators to carry out website checks along their paths to make sure safe operations before slowly resuming regular services, such as train and franchised buses. In addition, the TD performed continuous evaluation of scenarios at different trunk roadways and link roadways at areas without alternative paths. This assisted the timely recognition of areas impacted by flooding or blocked by items needing greater concern of clearance and co-ordination of clearance work of departments worried, with a view to resuming obstructed roadways and totally resuming public transportation services early.

The Emergency Control Centres of the HyD were triggered on the early morning of September 22. Officers of the HyD, together with roadway upkeep professionals, have actually been carefully keeping track of the most recent conditions of significant public roadways in genuine time and reacting immediately to emergency situations triggered by the harsh weather condition. Since 5pm, the department got roughly 1 620 reports of roadway events, consisting of around 1 050 cases of fallen trees, around 85 cases of flooding and 6 reports of landslides. The department started patrolling significant roadways at 1.20 pm, and the work has actually currently been finished. Almost 200 emergency situation reaction groups under the department likewise stand all set for implementation. The groups have actually been mobilised to get rid of fallen trees and blockages on roadways, to clear debris-clogged roadside drains pipes and channels, along with to perform emergency situation cordoning-off and immediate repair for collapsed slopes under safe conditions. The HyD will continue to strive to clear the staying fallen trees and other roadway blockages to bring back typical traffic as quickly as possible after the hurricane. In addition, the 16 pedestrian trains along Shing Mun River in Sha Tin, Lam Tsuen River and Tai Po River in Tai Po, which were momentarily closed last night due to harsh weather condition and storm rise, have actually been resumed beginning with 5pm.

In view of the possible dangers that Ragasa might present to Hong Kong, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) and District Offices (DOs) had actually started appropriate reaction steps beforehand. They have actually co-ordinated with pertinent departments and organisations to boost readiness, establishing sandbags and water-stop boards, to name a few. District Council (DC) members, members of “the three committees” and Care Teams were mobilised to distribute the most recent weather condition details to homeowners in flood-prone locations, advising them to make required preparations. Homeowners in flood-prone locations were encouraged to keep away from their homes or remain at momentary shelters. All DOs opened short-lived shelters ahead of time at 8am the other day. Throughout the hurricane, an overall of 50 short-lived shelters functioned with an overall of about 900 locals, which is more than previously. In addition, the HAD likewise triggered a day-and-night hotline ahead of time at midday on September 22 for public queries on the cyclone and launched details on the operation of short-term shelters through various channels constantly. The HAD’s Emergency Co-ordination Centre started operation in the afternoon on the exact same day to co-ordinate work and details dissemination in 18 districts along with quickly act on numerous event reports.

After the tropical cyclone, DOs will continue to co-ordinate assistance from other departments and organisations, and mobilise DC members, members of “the three committees”and Care Teams to supply suitable support. This consists of assisting impacted families, especially homes of singleton and doubleton seniors impacted by serious flooding, get rid of stagnant water and restore their homes. As the weather condition in Hong Kong stays unsteady, the short-term shelters under the HAD will continue to open throughout the Strong Wind Signal No. 3 to serve residents in requirement till the Strong Wind Signal No. 3 is cancelled. In addition, DOs will co-ordinate with appropriate departments and organisations to perform relief operate in their districts, allowing the neighborhood to resume normalcy as quickly as possible to assist in people’ travelling to work or school.

To support federal government departments and the waste transfer sector in quickly dealing with fallen trees and waste to bring back normalcy as rapidly as possible, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has actually been preserving close interaction with the market throughout the previous couple of days and executed numerous procedures. These consist of booking enough short-term storage locations at the 3 land fills and Y · PARK for gathering and saving fallen tree waste, along with preparing emergency situation sawing and wood-chipping devices to help with fast clean-up. Recyclable tree waste will be figured out and sent out to Y · PARK for recycling and reuse. In addition, the EPD has actually assigned beforehand workforce and equipment to guarantee adequate capability at refuse transfer stations (RTS) and extended the operating hours of city RTSs and the 3 land fills from today to September 26. Healing works are now in complete swing at the Island East Transfer Station which was impacted by storm rise throughout the tropical storm, with a view to resuming service at the soonest practicable time. The EPD will keep a close tab on the operation of waste handling centers and flexibly redeploy resources to help with a speedy go back to normalcy.

In advance of the hurricane’s method, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has actually carried out examinations and cleansing of roadside gullies at flooding blackspots to reduce the threat of clog triggered by refuse and fallen leaves. The FEHD has actually likewise protected or gotten rid of some centers such as litter containers positioned in open locations, and has actually advised operators of on-street hawker stalls to execute suitable tropical storm preventive procedures. Following the passage of the tropical cyclone, the FEHD will resume street cleansing and decline collection services as quickly as possible, consisting of releasing department and specialist cleansing personnel to speed up the elimination of refuse from significant roads.

After the wind decreased, employee of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) instantly examined nation parks for damage to centers, fallen trees and roadway obstructions. The AFCD likewise cleared fallen trees and scheduled repair work of harmed centers to accelerate the resuming of impacted centers for public usage. As weather stay unsteady, there are still threats of flash floods, flooding, tree falls, and landslides in backwoods. The AFCD advises members of the general public to avoid outside activities.

Throughout the hurricane, frontline law enforcement officer stayed unfaltering in performing their tasks, taking proper actions based upon the scenario. These consisted of advising the general public to keep away from coastlines and flood-prone locations, releasing workers to manage high-risk locations such as unsteady scaffolding and precarious windows, and leaving locals from impacted locations. Officers likewise carefully monitored traffic conditions and reduced the traffic by helping automobiles caught by flooding or obstructed by fallen trees and other barriers. Fallen trees and other particles on roadways were without delay cleared to resume obstructed roadways as quickly as possible.

The Housing Department (HD) Communication Centre was triggered before the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 was raised to get totally prepared in dealing with emergency situations. Throughout the passage of the cyclone, frontline personnel of the HD stayed devoted to providing their responsibilities and took all needed preventive steps. In addition, the emergency situation reaction group of the HD’s building websites stepped up caution and kept close contact and partnership with pertinent federal government departments to quickly react to possible emergency situation scenarios throughout the tropical cyclone. They likewise dealt with task groups and professionals to clear particles from close-by drain outlets to efficiently lower the build-up of muddy water on the roadways in the area and quickly eliminate the water barriers lost by the strong wind to reduce traffic interruption.

The guiding committee on dealing with severe weather condition advises the general public that although the storm slowly moved away, the weather condition in Hong Kong stays unsteady, and the general public needs to continue to remain upgraded with the most recent federal government statements. The committee stresses that personnel from numerous federal government departments will continue to satisfy their tasks, collaborating with different sectors to totally participate in neighborhood healing efforts and supply suitable assistance to those in requirement. Department workers will continue to perform relief deal with specialists, allowing members of the general public to resume a regular life as quickly as possible.