Author(s): M. R. Peartfeo; A. W. Jayawardena
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Keywords: No Keywords
Abstract: The flood hazard in Hong Kong has been described along with some of the measures taken to alleviate the problem. Analysis has been carried out on data from the Shek Kong drainage basin (11.7 km2) to investigate the practicality of real time flood warning in the territory. The data indicate that there is little delay between the maximum rainfall and the resulting hydrograph peak. Therefore, real time warning of flooding based upon telemetric monitoring of rainfall may not give sufficient lead time to be effective. Moreover, the travel time of the flood peak from the basin headwaters to Kam Tin is so rapid that monitoring water level in the upper reaches would also give at best only about 2hours warning. An average time to rise of 2.82 hours for 36storms at Kam Tin also indicates that real time monitoring of water level will give limited warning. It is suggested that if real time monitoring of water level in Hong Kong is to prove advantageous it may be in the better communication of the warning to people likely to be affected.
Year: 1993