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The Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) today (August 18) held the "Day Camp for Geotechnical Engineers of Tomorrow 2015 - Exploring Super Volcano!", at which over 100 junior secondary school students from 13 schools learned about basic geology, slope safety and the roles and duties of geotechnical engineers through a series of lectures, experiments and a geological field trip.
Speaking at the welcoming ceremony for the event, the Director of Civil Engineering and Development, Mr Daniel Chung, said that the Geotechnical Engineering Office has developed a comprehensive slope safety system in phases since its establishment in 1977, significantly reducing the risk of large-scale landslides in Hong Kong in recent years.
"The 'Generation Z' students might not have heard about large landslides in the past such as the landslide on June 18, 1972, at Po Shan Road and the one at Kwun Lung Lau. However, we should always stay vigilant against landslide risk and should not underestimate the adverse effects of extreme rainfall on slope stability," he said.
To enhance the knowledge of the day camp's participants about geology, guests including the Head of the Geotechnical Engineering Office, Mr Wong Hok-ning; Legislative Council Members Mr Ip Kin-yuen and Dr Lo Wai-kwok; and the President of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, Mr Chan Chi-chiu, carried out an experimental demonstration at the event to simulate two mechanisms of volcanic eruptions to explain the formation of different rock types.
Organised by the Geotechnical Engineering Office of the CEDD in collaboration with the Education Bureau, the Hong Kong Science Museum and the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, the day camp is one of the Government's educational activities for promoting slope safety. Information about the day camp and slope safety is available at the Geotechnical Engineering Office's Hong Kong Slope Safety website (hkss.cedd.gov.hk/hkss/eng/event.aspx).
Ends/Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:47
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