1. The Weather Aspect of Disaster Planning and Preparedness – the Hong Kong example C.Y. Lam Hong Kong Observatory Hong Kong, China 28 March 2007

2. Weather warnings for disaster reduction
Led by needs
Shaped by social expectations
Supported by science
Diversification
Reaching out

3. Casualties caused by tropical cyclones in Hong Kong

4. What made the difference ?
Reliable weather warnings
Effective information dissemination
Organised response actions
Built environment

5. HKSAR Government Contingency Plan for Natural Disasters
Weather information dissemination
Response units
Disaster-related information flow

6. Weather warning systems
Not just warning signals
Not just objective criteria
But also
- triggers for action
- meeting expectations

7. Warnings with a heart

8. Factors determining the form of a warning system
The built
environment
Expectations of
the Society
Warning
System
Meteorological Science
Communication
Factors determining the form of a warning system

9. Tropical cyclone warning system in the early years
Flimsy
structures
Some loss of lives taken
for granted
Slow pace
Numbered signals
focus on wind
Little data
Visual signals
Tropical cyclone warning system in the early years

10. Tropical cyclone warning system, 1960’s to 1980’s
Better houses
Increasing value placed on life
Faster pace
Textual information
Broadcasts
Wind & track
Satellite
Radar
Radio TV
Tropical cyclone warning system, 1960’s to 1980’s

11. Tropical cyclone warning system, 1990’s
Complex
transport
infrastructure
“No loss of life”
Minimum disruption to
economic activities
Textual and graphic information on TC and local weather
Individualised alerting, Homepage
Wind, Rain, Track
NWP
Automatic weather stations
Telephone
Pager
Mobile phone
Internet
Tropical cyclone warning system, 1990’s

12. Evolution of severe weather warning systems in Hong Kong

13. Warnings Diversification in nature Severe local storms
Hot or cold weather

14. Warnings with a heart
Precautionary announcements
The human touch

15. Interpretation and Decision-making Process
Warning Process
Interpretation and Decision-making Process
NATURAL
HAZARD
HUMAN
SOCIETY
IMPACT
Development Process
Review
Education Process

16. Warning process Detection and forecasting
Dissemination – contents, multiple channels

17. Verification of HKO TC position forecast

18. SWIRLS: provides 3-hourly rainfall forecast

19. Delivery to the Public Phone TV Fax Radio Pager Internet Mobile PDA
Increasing direct contacts with users
- more intimate relationship

20. Statistics of direct access to the HKO by users in the past decade

21. Daily page visits of Hong Kong Observatory web page on
days with tropical cyclone signal No. 3 or higher

22. Within Government Dedicated web-based information system GOWISE
warning, SMS warning, etc.
Talk over the phone
To develop closer interaction

23. GOWISE: Dedicated web-based information system

24. Media Central briefings Hourly TC updates
To be seen as a trustworthy person

25. Decision making The man in the street The sophisticated
The underprivileged
To serve niches

26. Review Objective verification Public opinion survey Press comments
Annual liaison meetings
To learn from lessons

27. Public opinion survey
(a) on tropical cyclone
(b) on rainstorm

28. Education - A process of reaching out
Friends of the Observatory
TV documentary
Pamphlets
Popular science lectures and writings
Courses for laymen
Talks to students and the elderly

29. Weather warnings for disaster reduction
Led by needs
Shaped by social expectations
Supported by science
Diversification
Reaching out