Hong Kong recorded 257 rainfall-induced landslides last year, slightly above the annual average of around 200 cases, according to the Civil Engineering and Development Department.
Among the incidents, 24 were classified as major landslides, including cases that disrupted traffic on Bride’s Pool Road in Tai Po and Hospital Road on Hong Kong Island. No casualties were reported.
The department said the number of landslides is closely linked to the frequency and distribution of rainstorms, urging the public to remain vigilant whenever landslip warnings are issued.
A previous report by the Office of the Ombudsman found that landslide incidents on government man-made slopes occurred at three times the rate of those on private slopes, with some sites reporting recurring landslides.
In response to the finding, Lawrence Shum Ka-wah, deputy head of the Geotechnical Engineering Office on Hong Kong Island, explained that the government manages a much larger number and total area of slopes.
He also said that when assessed in terms of risk to human life, the overall impact of the landslides remains manageable.
Private slopes are often located in residential areas, while government slopes are typically found in more remote locations, he said.
Shum added that, in an effort to preserve natural landscapes and local ecology, the government frequently uses vegetation cover on slope surfaces, which can be more vulnerable to erosion during intense rainfall.
To enhance slope safety management, the department has fully implemented an AI-powered landslip warning system this year.
By analyzing eight parameters — up from two in the previous system — the new model has improved prediction accuracy by more than 20 percent, reaching a precision rate of over 90 percent.
Shum said the self-learning system would enable more effective warnings as Hong Kong faces shifting rainfall patterns driven by extreme weather.
𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓
