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The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) has announced that from tomorrow (April 1), full lifeguard services will be provided at 37 gazetted beaches, while Ting Kau Beach, soon to be reopened upon the completion of improvement works, will also provide lifeguard services from April 15.
Seven beaches in Tsuen Wan District, namely Anglers' Beach, Hoi Mei Wan Beach, Casam Beach, Lido Beach, Approach Beach, Ting Kau Beach and Gemini Beaches, had been closed due to poor water quality since mid-1990s. After years of sewerage improvement works by the Government, these beaches have seen significant improvements in water quality and have met the required standards for swimming, and were thus successively reopened. Apart from Gemini Beaches, which merely provide toilets and barbecue facilities owing to the limited swimming area, lifeguard services are being provided at the other six beaches.
The other gazetted beaches that provide lifeguard services are Deep Water Bay Beach, Repulse Bay Beach, Middle Bay Beach, South Bay Beach, Stanley Main Beach, Chung Hom Kok Beach, St Stephen's Beach, Turtle Cove Beach, Shek O Beach and Big Wave Bay Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island; Hung Shing Yeh Beach, Lo So Shing Beach, Kwun Yam Beach, Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach, Silver Mine Bay Beach, Pui O Beach, Upper Cheung Sha Beach, Lower Cheung Sha Beach and Tong Fuk Beach in Islands District; Trio Beach, Kiu Tsui Beach, Hap Mun Bay Beach, Silverstrand Beach, Clear Water Bay First Beach and Clear Water Bay Second Beach in Sai Kung District; Butterfly Beach, Castle Peak Beach, Kadoorie Beach, Cafeteria Old Beach, Cafeteria New Beach and Golden Beach in Tuen Mun District; and Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach in Tsuen Wan District.
During the swimming season (from April to October), lifeguard services will be provided daily at these beaches from 9am to 6pm. The services will be extended from 8am to 7pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays during the peak period from June to August.
The LCSD urges the public to observe water safety and swim at the beaches only when lifeguard services are available. Please stay out of the water when a red flag is hoisted.
Ends/Monday, March 31, 2014
Issued at HKT 12:01
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