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The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government continues to closely monitor the Fukushima nuclear incident. Various departments will keep track of the radiation level of the air and fresh water in Hong Kong, food and imported products from Japan round the clock. As at noon today (March 31), the latest monitoring results for the past 24 hours from the relevant departments are as follows:
Radiation level in Hong Kong
According to Hong Kong Observatory, in the past 24 hours, the radiation level in Hong Kong remained normal.
Very minute amount of artificial radionuclide Iodine-131 was detected from air samples collected at King's Park and Yuen Ng Fan from noon of March 29 to noon of March 30, 2011. In the routine weekly air sample collected at Sha Tau Kok (March 22 to 29), very minute amount of Iodine-131 was also detected. As the amount of radioactive iodine detected is very small, it will not affect public health and no precautionary measures are required.
Water safety
The Water Supplies Department continues to monitor the radioactivity level of Dongjiang water supplied to Hong Kong, raw water from impounding reservoirs and fresh water. In the past 24 hours, the monitoring results show that the radioactivity level of all samples did not show any observable change. The radiological quality of fresh water remains normal and safe.
Sea and air cargo
The Hong Kong Customs continues to select cargoes imported from Japan for inspection, including pharmaceutical products, cosmetics and personal hygiene products. In the past 24 hours, the Customs has checked 10,605 air consignments and 48 sea containers, including three consignments of pharmaceutical products and 15 consignments of cosmetics. No irregularities have been detected so far.
Food Safety
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department continues to collect samples from local fish culture zones and fish wholesale markets under the Fish Marketing Organisation for radiological testing on a daily basis. In the past 24 hours, the results of all collected samples were satisfactory.
The Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has examined 24 food samples imported from Japan (including 24 samples by air and 0 sample by sea) in the past 24 hours. Samples examined including aquatic products, vegetables, meat, drinks and others. All examined samples were satisfactory.
Assistance to Hong Kong residents
The Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit of the Immigration Department (ImmD) has not received any new request for assistance during the past 24 hours. There are still two persons believed to be in Japan who cannot be contacted. The ImmD will continue to closely monitor the situation and take whatever action as appropriate.
For more relevant statistics and information, please visit "Japan Earthquake - Information for Residents" at GovHK website, www.gov.hk.
Ends/Thursday, March 31, 2011
Issued at HKT 18:09
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