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A spokesman for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department provides further information on a newspaper report about the discovery of caterpillars in the vicinity of Hin Tin Swimming Pool today (April 28).
Caterpillars have been found on a few trees in some raised planters of Hin Tin Swimming Pool recently. They are over 10 metres away from the closest pool, which is the training pool, and the other pools are further away. The water quality of the swimming pools is unaffected, the spokesman said. Disinfestation measures have been stepped up and the situation is under control.
He stressed that the water quality was not affected. The newspaper report referred to caterpillars found in the drain. The spokesman clarified that the drain was a storm water drain on the raised planters and were used for discharging rain water. It was entirely separate from the pool water system. He also reported that no caterpillar had been found in the pool water.
The caterpillars, known as Eriogyna pyretorum, are commonly found in some plants during spring and summer. The spokesman said that the horticulture maintenance contractor of the department would intensify the pest control measures.
In addition to capturing the caterpillars on April 15 and 16, and applying insecticides to the trees concerned on April 17 and 24, the spokesman said that the department would carry out disinfestation measures again after the pool complex was closed tonight.
Staff of the swimming pool will closely monitor the situation and clear any caterpillar spotted in the pool complex immediately.
Ends/Monday, April 28, 2008
Issued at HKT 21:13
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