Grading of beach water quality released
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (June 20) released the latest grading of water quality for 39 gazetted beaches (see Note 1) and one non-gazetted beach (see Note 2).
Twenty-four beaches were rated as Good (Grade 1), 15 as Fair (Grade 2) and one as Poor (Grade 3).
Grade 1 beaches are:
Big Wave Bay Beach* |
Lo So Shing Beach |
Cafeteria New Beach |
Lower Cheung Sha Beach |
Cafeteria Old Beach |
Repulse Bay Beach* |
Cheung Chau Tung Wan Beach* |
Shek O Beach* |
Chung Hom Kok Beach |
South Bay Beach* |
Deep Water Bay Beach* |
St. Stephen's Beach |
Golden Beach* |
Stanley Main Beach* |
Hap Mun Bay Beach* |
Tai Po Lung Mei Beach* |
Hung Shing Yeh Beach* |
Tong Fuk Beach |
Kiu Tsui Beach |
Trio Beach |
Kwun Yam Beach |
Turtle Cove Beach |
Lido Beach* |
Upper Cheung Sha Beach |
Grade 2 beaches are:
Anglers' Beach* |
Kadoorie Beach |
Approach Beach |
Ma Wan Tung Wan Beach* |
Butterfly Beach* |
Middle Bay Beach |
Castle Peak Beach |
Pui O Beach* |
Clear Water Bay First Beach |
Silver Mine Bay Beach* |
Clear Water Bay Second Beach* |
Silverstrand Beach* |
Discovery Bay Tai Pak Beach [Non-gazetted beach] |
Ting Kau Beach* |
Hoi Mei Wan Beach |
Grade 3 beach is:
Casam Beach* |
Compared with the grading released last week, Silverstrand Beach has been upgraded from Grade 3 to Grade 2.
Under the present grading system, beaches are classified into four grades, namely Good (Grade 1), Fair (Grade 2), Poor (Grade 3) and Very Poor (Grade 4), according to the level of E. coli in the water. Grades are calculated on the basis of the geometric mean of the E. coli counts on the five most recent sampling occasions.
While the ratings represent the general water quality at the beaches, an EPD spokesman reminded members of the public that water quality could be temporarily affected during and after periods of heavy rain. Bathers should avoid swimming at beaches for up to three days after a tropical cyclone or heavy rainfall.
A summary of beach grades is published weekly before the weekend. The latest beach grades based on the most current data may be obtained from the EPD's website on Beach Water Quality (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/beach) or the beach hotline, 2511 6666. Members of the public can also obtain the latest daily water quality forecast information for all beaches that are open for swimming through the EPD's dedicated webpage on the beach water quality forecast (www.epd.gov.hk/en/BWQForecast).
Note 1: Lifesaving services are provided by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department at 21 gazetted beaches, marked with an asterisk (*) above, from June 1. For details, please refer to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department's Special Announcement (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/beach/index.html).
Note 2: This refers to Discovery Bay Tai Pak Beach which has no lifesaving service.
Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million
Hong Kong Customs detected two dangerous drugs cases in Hong Kong International Airport and Yau Ma Tei respectively on April 1 and yesterday (April 2), and seized a total of about 3.1 kilograms of suspected ketamine, about 1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine and about 1.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine with a total estimated market value of about $3.4 million. Two persons suspected to be connected with the cases were arrested.
In the first case, a 43-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Bangkok, Thailand on April 1. During customs clearance, Customs officers found about 3.1 kilograms of suspected ketamine concealed inside food packaging in his baggage. The man was subsequently arrested.
In the second case, during an anti-narcotics operation conducted in Yau Ma Tei on April 2, Customs officers intercepted a 41-year-old man and later escorted him to a hotel room nearby for a search and seized about 1.7 kilograms of suspected cocaine, about 1.7 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine, a drug inhaling apparatus and a batch of drug packaging paraphernalia. The man was subsequently arrested.
The arrested persons have been charged with one count of trafficking in a dangerous drug respectively and will appear at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts tomorrow (April 4).
Customs will continue to step up enforcement against drug trafficking activities through intelligence analysis. The department also reminds members of the public to stay alert and not to participate in drug trafficking activities for monetary return. They must not accept hiring or delegation from another party to carry controlled items into and out of Hong Kong. They are also reminded not to carry unknown items for other people, nor to release their personal data or home address to others for receiving parcels or goods.
Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).
Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong Customs detects two dangerous drugs cases and seizes suspected drugs worth about $3.4 million Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
