Attention TV/radio announcers:
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:
Here is an item of interest to swimmers.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (November 14) that due to big waves, the red flag has been hoisted at Silverstrand Beach in Sai Kung District. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at the beach.
​As Tropical Cyclone Toraji is moving away from Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Observatory issued the Strong Wind Signal No. 3 at 10.20am today (November 14). It replaced the No. 8 Northeast Gale or Storm Signal issued at 11.10pm yesterday (November 13).
The Home Affairs Department has opened 27 temporary shelters in various districts and 120 people have sought refuge.
As at 10am today, the Government's 1823 Call Centre and the Fire Services Department have received three reports and 10 reports of fallen trees respectively. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has not received any reports of fallen trees. No reports of landslides or flooding has been received.
According to the Hospital Authority, as at 10am today, one woman has been injured during the typhoon period and received medical treatment at the Accident and Emergency Department of a public hospital.
The Immigration Department announced that members of the public who had booked appointments but were unable to apply for identity cards at the Registration of Persons (ROP) Offices as scheduled due to the hoisting of Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 may approach the relevant ROP Offices during their relevant service hours on any subsequent working days for applications without the need to make a new appointment. It is not necessary to call for seeking confirmation on the above arrangement. Applicants should bring along the appointment slip, if available, or quote the telephone appointment reference code for the staff concerned to follow up. Subject to the situation of the day, the waiting time for processing may be longer.
Please refer to the Annex for the working hours and scope of services provided at ROP Offices.
The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:
The Ombudsman, Mr Jack Chan, today (November 14) announced the launch of a direct investigation operation to examine the Government's monitoring and regulation of slope safety in detail.
The total land area of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region exceeds 1 100 square kilometres, of which over 60 per cent is covered by natural hillsides. In addition, there are about 61 000 man-made slopes, including some 38 500 government man-made slopes, 15 800 private man-made slopes and 6 300 slopes involving mixed responsibilities. Seasonal heavy rain and severe storms may lead to landslides from time to time, thereby posing threats to life and property. Over the past 30 years, there has been an annual average of about 300 landslides recorded in Hong Kong. While there has been a downward trend in the number of landslides in recent years, severe landslides triggered by extreme weather might still occur, creating serious incidents. In 2023 alone, the number of landslides exceeded 600, raising alarms in the community.
Currently, the monitoring and regulation of slope safety falls within the ambit of various government departments. The Lands Department (LandsD) is responsible for determining the maintenance responsibility of man-made slopes, categorised into government and private man-made slopes respectively, while some are slopes involving mixed responsibilities. Every year, the Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO) of the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) selects natural hillside catchments and government man-made slopes with relatively high potential impacts for upgrading or risk mitigation works according to a risk-based approach. The GEO also conducts safety screening studies for private man-made slopes and recommends to the Buildings Department (BD) the issuance of Dangerous Hillside Orders to the owners of slopes with potential dangers requiring them to carry out remedial or preventive works. Preliminary findings of the Office of The Ombudsman revealed that between 2014 and 2022, the GEO completed risk mitigation works for over 300 natural hillside catchments, upgraded over 1 400 government man-made slopes and conducted safety screening studies for more than 900 private man-made slopes. Different government departments (mainly the LandsD, the Highways Department (HyD), the Water Supplies Department (WSD) and the Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) are responsible for the routine inspection and maintenance of man-made slopes under their purview.
Lack of maintenance on slopes is one of the major causes of landslides. Government information showed that both government and private man-made slopes were involved in past landslides, while more severe incidents mainly concerned natural hillside catchments. Preliminary findings of the Office also revealed that a considerable number of Dangerous Hillside Orders issued to private owners have remained long outstanding, with disputes over the maintenance responsibility being one of the common causes. In addition, the Office has received almost 20 complaints related to slope safety over the past five years, reflecting considerable public concerns about slope safety.
Mr Chan said, "With the Government's continuous efforts over the past few decades, overall slope safety in Hong Kong has been substantially uplifted compared with the 1970s. However, as extreme weather has become more frequent, coupled with gradual slope degradation, landslide risks still exist. To this end, I have decided to launch a direct investigation operation to seriously examine whether there is room for further enhancement of the Government's monitoring and regulation of slope safety, including the overall strategy on landslip prevention and mitigation, the routine repair and maintenance of government man-made slopes, the issuance and subsequent enforcement of Dangerous Hillside Orders, the determination of slope maintenance responsibility and dispute handling, post-landslide follow-up actions, as well as interdepartmental collaboration covering case referral, exchange of information and professional knowledge, with a view to making targeted recommendations to the Government for improvement where necessary."
The Office will probe the CEDD, the BD, the LandsD, the HyD, the WSD and the ArchSD in this direct investigation operation. The Ombudsman welcomes views from members of the public on this topic. Written submissions should reach the Office of The Ombudsman by December 13, 2024:
Address: 30/F, China Merchants Tower, Shun Tak Centre
168–200 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong
Fax: 2882 8149
Email: complaints@ombudsman.hk
Internationally renowned Släpstick, a group of five musicians from the Netherlands, will perform in Hong Kong for the first time with their unique and delightful "Schërzo" at the Leisure and Cultural Services Department's "Cheers!" Series in mid-December. With virtuosic musicianship, hilarious physical language and unique comedic flair, the troupe will deliver an absurd and entertaining musical feast that allows audiences to appreciate classical music with a playful twist.
In classical music, a scherzo is a vigorous, light, or playful composition, typically comprising a movement in a symphony or sonata. Släpstick takes it literally, blurring the unique physical comedy and musical talent to create a new "Schërzo". The five members of the troupe are all accomplished musicians who will perform masterpieces from Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Saint-Saens, Gershwin and many more. The five musical comedians will turn the seemingly highbrow classical concert into a whimsical show. Apart from playing multiple oddball instruments, they will also perform works in unexpected but humorous ways. Adding ventriloquism, puppetry, tap dancing, and even Släpstick's popular "21 masterpieces in one minute", all will be rolled up into one fun-filled performance. The production has won the Seoul Arts Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Best International Production Award at the South Korea Daegu International Musical Festival.
Släpstick is a five-member music theatre troupe known for its members' outstanding musical capabilities, hilarious antics and quintessentially Dutch wit. The troupe is dedicated to blending innovative concepts with traditional inspirations, and creating performances that encapsulate a whirlwind of musical genres from across the globe. Its productions have toured in many places including the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, France, Denmark and New Zealand. The troupe has also won numerous awards including the Spirit of the Fringe Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Johan Kaart Prijs of the Dutch National Theatre Prize, and the Comedic Arts Prize of the Kulturstiftung Sparkasse am Niederrhein.
"Cheers!" Series: "Schërzo" by Släpstick (The Netherlands) will be held at 7.30pm on December 13 (Friday), at 3pm and 7.30pm on December 14 (Saturday), and at 3pm on December 15 (Sunday) at the Theatre of Ngau Chi Wan Civic Centre. Each performance will be followed by a meet-the-artist session (conducted in English with Cantonese interpretation). Tickets priced at $280 and $340 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. The "Cheers!" Series offers various discount schemes, such as package discounts and family package discounts. For programme enquiries and discount schemes, please call 2268 7323 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/multi_arts/programs_1764.html.
The programme will feature a "Music & Comedy Workshop" (conducted in English with Cantonese interpretation), in which participants will meet members of Släpstick face to face and have the opportunity to learn their performance and acting skills. The workshop will be held at 11am on December 15 (Sunday) at the Theatre of Ngau Chi Wan Civic Centre. Tickets priced at $180 are now available at URBTIX. For details, please refer to the above-mentioned website.
Another highlight in the "Cheers!" Series is "Grug and the Rainbow" by Windmill Theatre (Australia), which will be held from February 28 to March 2 next year. For details of the "Cheers!" Series programmes, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/Programme/en/f_entertainment/groups_1809.html.
