Home Affairs Department prepares for approach of tropical cyclone (with photos)

     In response to the approach of Super Typhoon Saola, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) today (August 31) announced that the department has worked with its district network in 18 districts, including District Fight Crime Committees, District Fire Safety Committees, Area Committees, owners' corporations, owners' committees, property management companies, village representatives, rural committees and support service centres for ethnic minorities etc, to seek their assistance in reminding members of the public to pay attention to the latest information on the tropical cyclone from the Hong Kong Observatory and take precautionary measures.
      
     The HAD's emergency hotline (2572 8427) has been activated to handle public enquiries on the tropical cyclone after Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 was issued. A total of 29 temporary shelters operated by the District Offices will advance times to open from 8pm tonight for people in need. Please refer to the annex for details.
      
     The District Offices will pay close attention to black spots and low-lying areas which may have serious flooding, and will take precautionary measures with relevant departments. The District Offices have contacted resident representatives in some flood prone areas for early alerts on precautionary measures and provide support to people in need. Following the inter-departmental drills on typhoon responses conducted earlier, the Kwun Tong, the Islands, the Eastern and the Sha Tin District Offices have also contacted resident representatives of the locations vulnerable to flooding such as Lei Yue Mun, Tai O, Tolo Harbour and the vicinity as well as Heng Fa Chuen etc, to seek their assistance in appealing to residents to move to a safe place or temporary shelters. Together with other government departments, the District Offices have also reminded residents to take precautionary measures against the tropical cyclone including clearing drains, providing sandbags and water-stop boards etc. Members and volunteers of the Care Teams in the Southern and the Tsuen Wan Districts have visited residents in their districts to remind them to take precautionary measures and to provide appropriate assistance. Members of the Care Teams will also be on duty at the temporary shelters in the two districts when they come into operation.
      
     The District Offices will maintain close liaison with other government departments to render appropriate assistance to the public during the typhoon.