Week 16: Final Hazards Report

 The main natural hazards that are the most dangerous in Hong Kong are landslides and typhoons. I will first begin with typhoons because as we mentioned before all of the earth’s cycles are connected to one another. Typhoons are the term used for hurricanes that occur in the Northwest-Pacific. This hazard is especially dangerous for countries located around the coast of warm tropical waters. Hong Kong is very vulnerable to this hazard for it is located along the Southern China Sea. Typhoons are very large storms characterized by violent winds and heavy rain. Typhoons can be classified into categories 1-6, and depending on their intensity, these can be very deadly. Along with typhoons, Hong Kong is also very vulnerable to landslides. Landslides can occur due to simple gravity, but heavy rain contributes to the likelihood of it happening - it triggers the chances for mass wasting to occur. Not only that but Hong Kong is very mountainous and has very steep slopes.

Obviously, our chances of stopping spiral winds traveling over 100 mph are slim, but there are a couple of things the population can do to mitigate this hazard. The sea levels should be monitored closely for concerning rising levels. Having an early alert mechanism is also very important. Installing flood barriers in high-risk areas, and having organized evacuation practices will also reduce fatalities significantly. 

Help services should focus especially on areas along the coast because they will receive the typhoon impact first. Areas prone to flooding should also be evacuated before they are submerged due to the heavy rain. 

If I were to build a house in Hong Kong I would most definitely avoid building near steep slopes because I know mass waste is a very big issue in the country. Although having a view of the ocean is beautiful, it’s not worth the risk for me. I would also keep an eye out for expansive soils and areas with a high flood zone. 

 

Sources:

“Hong Kong Slop Safety.” Landslide Risk in Hong Kong, 10 Feb. 2023, https://hkss.cedd.gov.hk/hkss/en/slope-safety-in-hong-kong/landslide-risk/index.html.

Keller, Edward A., and Robert H. Blodgett. “Ch. 7 Mass Wasting .” Natural Hazards: Earth's Processes as Hazards, Disasters, and Catastrophes, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, Abingdon, Oxon, 2016.

Nag, Oishimaya Sen. “When and Where Do Typhoons Occur?” WorldAtlas, WorldAtlas, 25 Apr. 2017, https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/when-and-where-do-typhoons-occur.html.