The Cheung Chau Climbing Carnival will be held at the soccer pitch of Pak Tai Temple Playground, Cheung Chau, from noon to 6pm this Sunday (May 5). Members of the public are invited to join and have an early experience of the exciting atmosphere of bun scrambling.

     Interested members of the public who are at least one metre in height can participate in the bun tower climbing activity by making an on-site application. They can then climb the approximately 14m-tall bun tower set up for the Bun Scrambling Competition to experience the fun of climbing.

     Members of the China Hong Kong Mountaineering and Climbing Union will be invited to brief participants on climbing skills and safety matters of bun tower climbing to let them learn more about the sport of climbing while having fun.

     The public can make wishes at the Wishing Bun Tower at the venue. Together with other activities, including an exhibition of winning works from Student Drawing Competitions as well as variety shows, game stalls and handicrafts, the carnival will offer families and friends an eventful holiday.

     The Climbing Carnival is one of the highlights of the 2024 Bun Carnival which is jointly organised by the Hong Kong Cheung Chau Bun Festival Committee and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), with the support of the Cheung Chau Wai Chiu County Association Limited, the Cheung Chau Rural Committee, the Islands District Office and the China Hong Kong Mountaineering and Climbing Union.

     For enquiries, please contact the Islands District Leisure Services Office of the LCSD on 2852 3220, or visit the department's website.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department is inviting organisations that wish to sponsor the 2024 National Day Fireworks Display to submit applications on or before May 23 (Thursday).
 
     The fireworks display will be held on October 1 (Tuesday) this year.
 
     Applications should be submitted to the Secretariat of the Fireworks Vetting Committee (Address: Community Programmes Office, Leisure and Cultural Services Department, 8/F, Queen Elizabeth Stadium, 18 Oi Kwan Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong).
 
     Further enquiries can be made at 2591 1207.

     The Land Registry today (May 3) released its statistics for April 2024.
 
Land registration
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* The number of sale and purchase agreements for all building units received for registration in April was 9 880 (+97.1 per cent compared with March 2024 and +71.7 per cent compared with April 2023)
 
* The 12-month moving average for April was 4 646 (8.0 per cent above the 12-month moving average for March 2024 but 15.3 per cent below that for April 2023)
 
* The total consideration for sale and purchase agreements of building units in April was $83.9 billion (+124.6 per cent compared with March 2024 and +31.7 per cent compared with April 2023)
 
* Among the sale and purchase agreements, 8 551 were for residential units (+115.3 per cent compared with March 2024 and +86.6 per cent compared with April 2023)
 
* The total consideration for sale and purchase agreements in respect of residential units was $77.5 billion (+157.7 per cent compared with March 2024 and +47.9 per cent compared with April 2023)
 
     Statistics on sales of residential units do not include sale and purchase agreements relating to sales of units under the Home Ownership Scheme, the Private Sector Participation Scheme, the Tenants Purchase Scheme, etc, unless the premium of the unit concerned has been paid after the sale restriction period.
      
     Figures on sale and purchase agreements received for the past 12 months, the year-on-year rate of change and breakdown figures on residential sales have also been released.
      
     As deeds may not be lodged with the Land Registry until up to 30 days after the transaction, these statistics generally relate to land transactions in the previous month.
 
Land search    
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* The number of searches of land registers made by the public in April was 391 628 (+6.6 per cent compared with March 2024 and +12.1 per cent compared with April 2023)
 
     The statistics cover searches made at the counter, through the self-service terminals and via the Integrated Registration Information System Online Services.

     The services provided by Mobile Library 8 have resumed after completion of urgent repairs to the mobile library van, a Leisure and Cultural Services Department spokesman announced today (May 3).
 
     The service points of Mobile Library 8 are Laguna City in Lam Tin, On Tai Estate on Anderson Road, Po Tat Estate in Sau Mau Ping, Tai Hang Tung Estate on Tai Hang Tung Road, Laguna Verde in Hung Hom, Choi Fook Estate in Kowloon Bay and Yau Lai Estate in Yau Tong.
 
     For enquiries about Mobile Library 8 services, please call 2926 3055.

     Two red tides have been sighted over the past week, the Inter-departmental Red Tide Working Group reported today (May 3).

     Staff of the Marine Department spotted the first red tide at Deep Water Bay on April 27. On April 29, staff of the Environmental Protection Department spotted another red tide at Rocky Bay Beach, Hong Kong Island. Both red tides have dissipated and no associated fish deaths have been reported as of today.

     A spokesman for the working group said, "Both red tides were formed by Noctiluca scintillans, which is commonly found in Hong Kong waters and is non-toxic."

     Red tide is a natural phenomenon. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department's proactive phytoplankton monitoring programme will continue to monitor red tide occurrences to minimise the impact on the mariculture industry and the public.