Spending doubts threaten HK landslides mitigation

Abstract

The head of Hong Kong's geotechnical engineering office (GEO) has warned that the former colony will be at increasing risk from landslides unless the current level of investment in preventative measures is maintained. July 1997 saw a spate of landslides and flooding in Hong Kong, following an extremely wet period. Over double the average rain fell, with total rainfall for June and July at 1530mm, equivalent to nearly half the annual figure. The worst period was the first four days of the month, when over 140 landslides occurred, compared with 163 over the whole of 1996. There were over 55 landslides and 65 cases of flooding on July 2 alone. There are estimated to be more than 35 000 manmade slopes in Hong Kong and Kowloon, usually formed by contractors digging into steep hillsides to create new building sites. Most of these date from before GEO was set up.