A Government spokesman said today (September 2) that the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau had obtained the approval by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, to activate the "government-wide mobilisation" level to co-ordinate emergency operations. The Government is working full steam to perform relief work following the passage of Super Typhoon Saola, aiming for the community's full return to normal operations and resumption of citizens' daily lives as early as possible.
 
     As Saola is moving away from Hong Kong, the Government promptly mobilised a quick response unit comprising over a hundred of civil servants from different departments to provide support in several districts. The Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Miss Alice Mak, led some members to Sha Tau Kok to assist the elderly members who had stayed in a temporary sheltering facility to return to their elderly homes.
 
     Members of the quick response unit also went to Tung Chung Heung to carry out clean-up work, removing garbages, fallen branches and leaves on roads. In addition, the members went to Kwun Tong to help residents remove sandbags. They also cleaned the pavement of Hoi Pong Road, Lei Yue Mun and the Lei Yue Mun Sports Centre which was used as a temporary shelter.
 
     The Government is grateful to all supporting members and colleagues from different departments for their dedication and efforts in enabling the community to resume normal as soon as possible. The spokesman stressed that it is only through the concerted efforts of the Government and all sectors of the society that the damage and impact of Saola can be minimised.

     The Chief Executive announced in the 2022 Policy Address that the Government would enhance the mobilisation protocol by introducing a "government-wide mobilisation" level, under which a list of designated personnel from various departments would be drawn up in advance to ensure that a quick response unit formed by government employees could be mobilised promptly during major crisis requiring considerable manpower support to handle the incident.

Ends/Saturday, September 2, 2023
Issued at HKT 19:46

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