"Perspective: Could excessive weather hinder Hong Kong's business output?"
Hong Kong's Precautionary Approach to Rainstorms
Last week, Hong Kong experienced a red rainstorm alert, prompting the city's well-known precautionary approach to severe weather. This approach, while often perceived as excessively cautious, is rooted in the city's history of sudden, intense rainstorms and the potential for flash floods, landslides, and traffic disruptions.
During the alert, the government mobilized its resources swiftly, activating emergency centers, deploying hundreds of emergency personnel, and issuing detailed public warnings about flooding and landslides. Schools were closed, and some public services were suspended to ensure the safety of the citizens.
On Monday and Tuesday of last week, a participant in a radio show based at RTHK studio in Broadcast Drive had to travel from Hong Kong Island to the same location. On Monday, the trip was relatively smooth, but the build-up in traffic was not specified. On Tuesday, however, a black signal was issued, and almost no road traffic was observed in either direction. Despite this, the train service to Admiralty was operating normally, providing an alternative means of transportation.
The trip on Tuesday, during the red rainstorm alert, was not specified in detail. However, it is worth noting that traffic on such days is usually lighter than usual. The author managed to reach their destination, although they did get a bit wet.
Interestingly, the trip on a red rainstorm alert day was relatively smooth. A taxi was available to drive the author to an MTR station nearby, and a minibus was available on Tuesday. Two cloudbursts occurred in Kowloon Tong after the show finished on Tuesday at 10pm and at the end of the show itself.
Despite the occasional criticism of being overly cautious, the government's emergency protocols during natural hazards are aligned with the city's risk profile and the principle of erring on the side of public safety. The Chief Secretary has publicly defended the city's "holistic and effective" approach to extreme weather events.
In everyday matters, Hong Kong is known for its efficient, pragmatic, and businesslike attitude. However, when it comes to natural hazards, the city adopts a stringent, safety-first stance, reflecting a tailored risk management approach given the potentially severe impacts of such weather events.
[1] Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. (n.d.). Emergency Response and Preparedness. Retrieved from https://www.gov.hk/en/topic/emergencyresponsepreparedness/
[2] Hong Kong Observatory. (n.d.). Rainstorm Preparedness. Retrieved from https://www.hko.gov.hk/gts/rainstorm/rainstorm_preparedness.htm
[3] Hong Kong Observatory. (n.d.). Rainstorms. Retrieved from https://www.hko.gov.hk/gts/rainstorm/rainstorm.htm
[4] South China Morning Post. (2020, September 17). Hong Kong government defends its holistic and effective approach to extreme weather events. Retrieved from https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3098696/hong-kong-government-defends-its-holistic-and-effective
[5] Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. (2018, September 11). Flood Prevention and Drainage Services. Retrieved from https://www.drainage.gov.hk/en/home/index.html
- The precautionary approach of Hong Kong's government towards severe weather events, as shown during the recent red rainstorm alert, prioritizes the health and safety of its citizens, considering the potential environmental hazards such as flash floods and landslides, ensuring a smooth transition towards education-and-self-development and personal-growth are not compromised.
- Given Hong Kong's historical susceptibility to natural disasters and the city's adoptive stance of erring on the side of public safety, productivity might be temporarily affected during such events. However, the efficient deployment of resources and alternative means of transportation, as observed during the red rainstorm alert, contribute to minimizing the impact on daily activities.
- The holistic approach of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government towards extreme weather events, defended by the Chief Secretary, encompasses not only emergency response and preparedness but also the long-term development of the city and its society, ensuring a balanced focus on the general welfare and wellbeing of its citizens.
