A near miss by Nida, the first typhoon that has threatened Hong Kong this year, has caused in this coastal city three injuries and several hundred rescheduled flights, but no serious flooding or landslides. In recent years, Hong Kong residents have become used to hearing about the minimal damage inflicted by tropical storms that affect us several times a year. Disastrous results of deadly typhoons - collapsed buildings, ships blown onto the shore, and hillside huts and their occupants buried under tons of mud - exist only in the memory of aged residents and historical photos. The last time a typhoon killed a significant number of local residents was in the 1970s. But that is not because of luck.

Nowadays Hong Kong people have been taking for granted their safety during typhoon attacks, so much so that it has become a fad for some thrill-seekers to go to the waterfront to feel in person the brutal force of the stormy weather. What they do not know is that various government departments have made tremendous efforts in recent decades to ensure their safety against the wrath of nature.

With the technological advancement of weather forecasting by the Hong Kong Observatory, overturned fishing boats were no longer the major cause of death during typhoons after World War II. Instead, relatively high death tolls were caused by flooding and landslides, and the government has addressed the issues with patience and diligence.

In the New Territories, where extensive flooding occurred every time a tropical storm brought a heavy downpour, the government over the years has carried out, with much success, extensive flood control and drainage projects, particularly in low-lying, flood-prone areas. The Drainage Services Department even managed to solve the long-time flooding problem in old urban areas like Mong Kok and Sheung Wan in the first decade of this millennium.

And in the hilly parts of the city, landslides also used to present a very serious threat to human life and property during the typhoon season. After a number of serious disasters in the 1970s, the government set up the Geotechnical Engineering Office and launched a decades-long effort to identify and stabilize each and every dangerous slope across the city. To this day, the office is still making its best efforts to ensure new slopes are up to the latest safety standards and old ones properly maintained.

As all administrators know, when things work smoothly, nobody will notice the endeavors behind the scene that have made it happen. To run this extremely crowded international metropolis of 7 million people efficiently and safely, many public servants are making and have made tireless efforts and invaluable contributions. To these unsung heroes, we owe our heartfelt gratitude.

(HK Edition 08/03/2016 page11)