Security Bureau
The Security Bureau maintains law and order, exercises immigration and customs control, rehabilitates offenders and drug abusers, and provides emergency fire and rescue services.
Hong Kong’s geological settings are not conducive to causing strong earthquakes and the faults in its boundaries and nearby waters are not active, Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee says.
He today told lawmakers that since 1979 a total of six felt earth tremors had occurred with epicentres within Hong Kong. Most were minor with a magnitude below 5 on the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Although the likelihood of having a serious earthquake in Hong Kong is very slim, government departments have issued advice to enhance public awareness and preparedness for natural disasters, and drawn public attention to matters of concern in different emergency situations, he added.
In respect of emergency response, the Government has the Contingency Plan for Natural Disasters which sets out comprehensive emergency response arrangements in case of major natural disasters, including earthquakes. In the extremely unlikely event of a severe earthquake causing widespread damage to Hong Kong, the Security Bureau will immediately activate the Emergency Response System and the Contingency Plan for Natural Disasters.
The Emergency Monitoring & Support Centre will work closely with the command and co-ordination centres of the emergency services and support agencies.
“The current Emergency Response System and the Emergency Monitoring & Support Centre are effective in coping with different natural disasters. In handling various critical incidents and disasters (including those arising from natural disasters) previously, the system and the centre worked very well.”
