Vigilance call as govt hones storm-coping techniques

Chief Executive John Lee said government departments are ramping up flood and landslide prevention measures in preparation for the typhoon season.

Writing on his social media page on Saturday, Lee detailed his recent visit to the Geotechnical Engineering Office’s emergency control centre, where he was joined by Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn and a public works team for a review of the latest technologies being deployed to combat extreme weather.

"With frequent storms, special attention must be paid to landslides and flooding to minimise the impact of adverse weather on citizens," he said.

"New technologies and advanced systems can help us cope with extreme weather, but we must still raise our awareness and vigilance, stand ready, take precautionary measures and strive to do our best."

During the inspection, Lee was briefed on a suite of cutting-edge tools, which include the application of artificial intelligence, low-altitude economy and satellite monitoring capabilities.

A key highlight, he said, was the office’s independently developed AI landslide warning system.

By integrating years of rainfall data, records of man-made slopes and Hong Kong’s historical landslide incidents, the system can estimate the number of landslide reports in real time, providing a dynamic and scientific foundation for issuing timely warnings.

In addition, Lee noted that under the coordination of the Development Bureau, the team had transformed the pilot outcomes from the low-altitude economy regulatory sandbox into SmartAero – a cross-departmental smart drone management platform.

The office is also partnering with several local universities to apply cloud-penetrating satellite imaging technology for disaster prevention, effectively translating academic research into practical, life-saving tools.

Edited by Tony Sabine ...