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In response to the findings of the Coroner's Court today (April 20) on the cause of death of a man during a flooding incident at Sha Po Tsai Village on July 22 last year, a spokesman for the Drainage Services Department (DSD) said:
"DSD respects the findings of the Coroner's Court on the incident and will carefully study the recommendations made to DSD by the court in relation to the incident.
"After the incident, DSD quickly completed flood relief works in Sha Po Tsai Village to ensure that daily life could return to normal. These relief works included cleaning up Sha Po Tsai Village, reinstating pedestrian access and railings as well as assisting the villagers in repairing the houses that were affected by the flooding. In order to reduce the flood risk, DSD implemented measures to increase the drainage capacity of Tai Po River. DSD also completed a review of its on-going river improvement works in various parts of the territory, so as to ensure that the flow capacities of these rivers will not be adversely affected by any construction works during heavy downpours.
"In addition, DSD has completed some short-term improvement works to minimise the flood risk at Sha Po Tsai Village in advance of the 2011 rainy season. The works, which aim to increase the drainage capacity of the river and reduce the possibility of blockage, include deepening and widening certain reaches of Tai Po River, re-constructing an existing footbridge to a higher level, installing additional drainage pipes across four existing pedestrian river crossings, and installing additional grilles and fencing at the completed boulder trap.
"DSD's Tai Po River improvement project is scheduled for completion before the rainy season of 2012, whereupon flood risks at Sha Po Tsai Village will be reduced considerably. DSD has implemented a series of monitoring measures at Sha Po Tsai prior to the completion of the river improvement project. In collaboration with Hong Kong Observatory, DSD has put in place a Regional Rainfall Alert System for Sha Po Tsai Village in Tai Po to notify villagers to evacuate if the rainfall intensity in the vicinity of Sha Po Tsai Village reaches certain levels. If necessary, DSD will also liaise with the Home Affairs Department to set up temporary accommodation for the villagers."
Ends/Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Issued at HKT 20:46
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