Tag Archives: China

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Inspection of aquatic products imported from Japan

     In response to the Japanese Government’s plan to discharge nuclear-contaminated water at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Station, the Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene issued a Food Safety Order which prohibits all aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds originating from the 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Tokyo, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Niigata, Nagano and Saitama, from being imported into and supplied in Hong Kong.
 
     For other Japanese aquatic products, sea salt and seaweeds that are not prohibited from being imported into Hong Kong, the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will conduct comprehensive radiological tests to verify that the radiation levels of these products do not exceed the guideline levels before they are allowed to be supplied in the market.
 
     As the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water is unprecedented and will continue for 30 years or more, the Government will closely monitor and step up the testing arrangements. Should anomalies be detected, the Government does not preclude further tightening the scope of the import ban.
 
     From noon on June 3 to noon today (June 4), the CFS conducted tests on the radiological levels of 142 food samples imported from Japan, which were of the “aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt” category. No sample was found to have exceeded the safety limit. Details can be found on the CFS’s thematic website titled “Control Measures on Foods Imported from Japan” (www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_fc_01_30_Nuclear_Event_and_Food_Safety.html).

     In parallel, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has also tested 50 samples of local catch for radiological levels. All the samples passed the tests. Details can be found on the AFCD’s website (www.afcd.gov.hk/english/fisheries/Radiological_testing/Radiological_Test.html).
 
     The Hong Kong Observatory (HKO) has also enhanced the environmental monitoring of the local waters. No anomaly has been detected so far. For details, please refer to the HKO’s website
(www.hko.gov.hk/en/radiation/monitoring/seawater.html).
 
     From August 24 to noon today, the CFS and the AFCD have conducted tests on the radiological levels of 56 370 samples of food imported from Japan (including 36 438 samples of aquatic and related products, seaweeds and sea salt) and 14 138 samples of local catch respectively. All the samples passed the tests. read more

East Asia

A cloudy May with localised heavy rain

     May 2024 was characterised by cloudier-than-usual weather with localised heavy rain over parts of the New Territories. The mean amount of cloud in the month was 83 per cent, 7 per cent above the normal of 76 per cent. As for monthly rainfall, while over 700 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over parts of Sai Kung, the monthly rainfall recorded at the Observatory was only 292.6 millimetres, near the normal figure of 290.6 millimetres. The accumulated rainfall recorded in the first five months of the year was 582.1 millimetres, slightly below the normal figure of 590.9 millimetres for the same period. The monthly mean temperature of 26.0 degrees was slightly below the normal figure of 26.3 degrees. Attributable to the well-above-normal temperatures in March and April, spring this year from March to May was much warmer than usual. The mean temperature of 24.5 degrees, mean minimum temperature of 22.7 degrees and mean maximum temperature of 27.0 degrees were respectively the second, one of the second and the fourth highest on record for the same period.
 
     Under the influence of a trough of low pressure, the weather of Hong Kong was unsettled with heavy showers and severe squally thunderstorms on the morning of May 1. More than 30 millimetres of rainfall were generally recorded over Hong Kong and rainfall even exceeded 50 millimetres over the eastern part of the territory. Violent gusts exceeding 100 kilometres per hour were also recorded at Cheung Chau. Under the rain, temperatures at the Observatory dropped to a minimum of 22.4 degrees the morning of May 1, the lowest of the month. Affected by a fresh to strong easterly airstream, it was mainly cloudy with a few showers on May 2 and 3. 
 
     The upper-air disturbances associated with the southern branch of a westerly trough affected southern China on May 4. Coupled with a significant low-level convergence and upper-level divergence, persistent thundery showers affected the vicinity of the Pearl River Estuary areas on that day. Locally, it was mainly cloudy with heavy showers and severe squally thunderstorms on May 4. More than 100 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over many places and rainfall even exceeded 400 millimetres over parts of Tseung Kwan O on that day. There were exceptionally severe rainstorms over some areas in the eastern part of the territory in the morning, with an hourly rainfall of 145.5 millimetres recorded at Tseung Kwan O. The heavy rain also necessitated the issuance of the first Red Rainstorm Warning Signal of the year. Moreover, violent gusts of about 110 kilometres per hour were recorded at Cheung Chau Beach that afternoon. According to preliminary reports, there were 16 reports of flooding including 12 cases in Sai Kung and Tseung Kwan O, and 15 reports of landslides in Sai Kung area. In the midst of the downpour, the temperature at the Observatory dropped to the month’s lowest of 22.4 degrees again on that day.
 
     With the departure of the upper-air disturbance, apart from thundery showers in the morning, the weather improved with sunny intervals during the day on May 5. Under the influence of an anticyclone aloft, it was mainly fine and hot during the day on May 6. While there were sunny periods on the morning of May 7, the weather became cloudier with a few showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon with the setting in of an easterly airstream. The easterly airstream strengthened gradually and continued to affect the coast of Guangdong, the local weather was mainly cloudy with sunny intervals from May 8 to 11. While the local weather was hot with sunny intervals during the day on May 12, a trough of low pressure edged closer to the coast of southern China and brought heavy showers and thunderstorms to some areas of Hong Kong in the afternoon. More than 30 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over Sha Tin and Sai Kung. With the weakening of the trough of low pressure, the weather became less showery with sunny intervals during the day on May 13.
 
     With the setting in of a fresh to strong easterly airstream on the night of May 13, apart from a few showers on that night and at first the next day, the weather was mainly fine from May 14 to 16. It was very dry during the day on May 16 and the relative humidity over most parts of the territory once fell below 40 per cent. The weather turned cloudier on May 17 and 18. Affected by a trough of low pressure lingering over the coastal areas of Guangdong and the subsequent upper-air disturbance, the local weather became mainly cloudy with occasional showers and a few thunderstorms from May 19 to 25. The showers were particularly heavy on May 21. More than 50 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over most parts of the territory and rainfall even exceeded 200 millimetres over parts of Lantau Island. With the departure of the upper-air disturbance, the showers abated with bright periods on the afternoon of May 26. 

     Under the influence of an active southerly airstream, it was mainly cloudy with showers and a few thunderstorms on May 27. Another trough of low pressure moved across the coast of Guangdong on the early morning of May 28 and brought heavy showers and thunderstorms to Hong Kong. Around 30 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over many places of the territory, and rainfall even exceeded 50 millimetres over Tai Po and Sai Kung. With the trough of low pressure moving to the northern part of the South China Sea, the local weather was hot with sunny intervals during the day on May 28 with temperatures at the Observatory rising to a maximum of 32.0 degrees, the highest of the month. Affected by a strong easterly airstream, it was dry with sunny intervals on May 29. The weather was mainly cloudy with a few showers on May 30. Meanwhile, a broad area of low pressure over the central to northern part of the South China Sea strengthened into a tropical depression on the afternoon of May 30 and the Observatory issued the first tropical cyclone warning signal of this year. The tropical depression intensified into a tropical storm and was named Maliksi on May 31. With Maliksi edging towards the coast of western Guangdong, the local weather deteriorated gradually with occasional showers later that day. More than 10 millimetres of rainfall were recorded over most parts of the territory and rainfall even exceeded 50 millimetres over parts of the New Territories on that day.
 
     Two tropical cyclones occurred over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in May 2024.
 
     Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for May are tabulated in Table 2. read more

East Asia

FEHD cancels licence of restaurant in Tokwawan

     â€‹The Director of Food and Environmental Hygiene today (June 4) cancelled the licence of a general restaurant in Tokwawan, as the licensee repeatedly breached the Food Business Regulation (FBR) by changing the type of fuel used for its heating equipment without permission. The restaurant concerned has had to cease operation with immediate effect.

     The restaurant is located on the ground floor of 86C and 86D Lok Shan Road.

     “Two convictions for the above-mentioned breach were recorded against the restaurant licensee last September and October. A total fine of $5,500 was levied by the court and 15 demerit points were registered against the licensee under the department’s demerit points system. The contraventions resulted in the cancellation of the licence,” a spokesman for the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) said.

     The licensee concerned had a record of four convictions for the same offence between July 2022 and June last year. A total fine of $6,600 was levied and 30 demerit points were also registered, resulting in a seven-day and 14-day licence suspension from January to February and October last year respectively.

     The spokesman reminded the licensees of food premises to comply with the FBR and other relevant regulations, or their licences could be suspended or cancelled.

     Licensed food premises are required to exhibit its licence and a sign at a conspicuous place of the premises, indicating that the premises have been licensed. A list of licensed food premises is available on the FEHD website (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/licence-foodPremises-search.html). read more

East Asia