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In view of the seriousness and uncertainty of the incident of the nuclear power plants in Fukushima Prefecture in Japan, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today (March 15) has extended the Black outbound travel alert (OTA) from one prefecture to four prefectures (i.e. Miyagi Prefecture, Fukushima Prefecture, Ibaraki Prefecture and Iwate Prefecture), while the Red OTA is maintained for the rest of the country. Hong Kong residents are urged to avoid all travel to these four prefectures. Those already there should pay attention to the announcement of local government and take practicable measures to attend to their personal safety.
The Government today issued SMS over mobile phones to Hong Kong residents with roaming services in Japan to remind them that the Black OTA has been extended to four prefectures, residents there should attend to personal safety.
The Chinese Embassy in Japan and the Consulate General in Niigata have announced the arrangements for Chinese citizens, including Hong Kong residents, to depart, on a voluntary basis, the seriously affected areas (i.e. Miyagi Prefecture, Fukushima Prefecture, Ibaraki Prefecture and Iwate Prefecture) in an orderly manner. Hong Kong residents there may voluntarily depart in accordance with the stated arrangements.
Security Bureau will continue to closely monitor the situation and issue updates through the media and the OTA webpage (www.sb.gov.hk/eng/ota).
Residents outside Hong Kong who need assistance may call the 24-hour hotline of the Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit of the Immigration Department at (852) 1868. The Chinese Embassy in Japan has set up a hotline (81-3-34033064) to render assistance to Chinese citizens including Hong Kong residents. Staff of the Immigration Department and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Tokyo will continue to render assistance to Hong Kong residents at the Narita and Haneda airports in Tokyo.
Ends/Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Issued at HKT 20:22
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