With Tropical Storm Wipha approaching Hong Kong, Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki chaired a meeting of the steering committee on inter-departmental handling of typhoons this afternoon to ensure comprehensive and adequate preparations and response planning by the Government.

At the meeting, members were briefed by the Director of Hong Kong Observatory on the latest assessments of Wipha.

According to the present forecast, Wipha will enter within 800km of Hong Kong around midnight tonight, at which point the Hong Kong Observatory will issue the Standby Signal No. 1. It will consider issuing the Strong Wind Signal No. 3 during the day tomorrow.

As Wipha comes close to the vicinity of the Pearl River Estuary on Sunday, there will be heavy squally showers and thunderstorms. The observatory will assess, on Saturday afternoon, the need for issuing higher tropical cyclone warning signals. The public is advised to pay close attention to weather forecasts and warnings from the Observatory.

The Chief Secretary co-ordinated preparatory work by relevant departments in view of possible adverse weather conditions.

The Security Bureau’s Emergency Monitoring & Support Centre will be fully activated upon the issuance of Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8. Leveraging the Common Operational Picture, the centre will conduct real-time citywide monitoring, and integrate updates from various departments to swiftly assess risks and formulate response plans and measures. Various emergency response teams will be on standby to handle possible emergencies.

The Transport Department’s Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre will work with public transport agencies to closely monitor traffic and transport conditions, and will disseminate emergency traffic information and public transport service arrangements.

Meanwhile, the Development Bureau is responsible for co-ordinating preparatory work to deal with flooding, landslides and fallen trees, and to ensure the safety of building structures. Emergency control centres in various departments are fully prepared to respond.

The Drainage Services Department (DSD) today completed a special inspection and carried out necessary clearance at about 240 locations which are prone to flooding due to blockages.

For coastal low-lying or windy residential areas at high risk, the DSD and the Civil Engineering & Development Department have advance management measures in place. These include early warning systems and emergency response arrangements.

The Geotechnical Engineering Office and the Hong Kong Observatory closely monitor weather conditions and will issue a landslip warning when appropriate. Relevant departments have completed inspections of government man-made slopes which have relatively higher potential impacts.

Additionally, the Highways Department (HyD) inspected again the flood warning systems installed at Kwun Tong Road Underpass and 16 pedestrian subways along Shing Mun River in Sha Tin, Lam Tsuen River in Tai Po, and Tai Po River, from July 16 to 18, to ensure normal operation.

In collaboration with the DSD, the HyD carried out special inspections and clearance of public road sections which are prone to flooding due to blockages. It also inspected and cleared the drainage channels at roadside man-made slopes.

District Offices have also initiated response measures, including co-ordinating with other departments and organisations to enhance preparedness, and preparing sandbags and water-stop boards. They will also mobilise District Council members, members of the “three committees”, and the District Services & Community Care Teams, to disseminate the latest weather information to residents in flood-prone areas.