Hong Kong's radiation level remains normal
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     The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government continues to closely monitor the Fukushima nuclear incident. Various departments are keeping track of radiation levels in Hong Kong's air and fresh water, and in food and imported products from Japan, round the clock. The latest monitoring results for the 24 hours until noon today (May 12) from the relevant departments are as follows:

Radiation level in Hong Kong

     According to the Hong Kong Observatory, the radiation level in Hong Kong remained normal during the past 24 hours.

     No artificial radionuclide was detected in air samples collected at King's Park and Yuen Ng Fan from noon on May 10 to noon on May 11.

Water safety

     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 showed no observable change in the radioactivity level of all samples. The radiological quality of fresh water remains normal and safe.

Sea and air cargo

     Hong Kong Customs continues to select cargo imported from Japan for inspection, including pharmaceutical products, cosmetics and personal hygiene products. In the past 24 hours, Customs has checked 9,447 air consignments and 54 sea containers, including seven consignments of pharmaceutical products and eight 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 Organization for radiological testing on a daily basis. In the past 24 hours, results of all collected samples were satisfactory.

     The Centre for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has examined 520 food samples imported from Japan including 16 samples by air and 504 samples by sea in the past 24 hours. Samples included aquatic products, fruits, meat, meat products, milk, 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. ImmD will continue to follow up.

     For more relevant statistics and information, please visit "Japan Earthquake - Information for Residents" at the GovHK website, www.gov.hk.

Ends/Thursday, May 12, 2011
Issued at HKT 18:01

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