Safer city: Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee (centre) and guests tour the exhibition at Olympian City 2 after the "Safer Living - Reducing Natural Disasters" campaign kick-off ceremony.

A year-long public education campaign to boost public understanding of natural hazards and appropriate response actions for a safer living environment has been launched.

Speaking at the launch of the "Safer Living - Reducing Natural Disasters" campaign today, Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee said people should think ahead and be vigilant to avoid being caught unawares by natural disasters.

He said the recent tsunami in South Asia had claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and caused incalculable economic loss to the region.

Mr Lee said: "The unthinkable damage has reminded us of the vulnerability of men in the face of natural disasters, notwithstanding the advances in material society. The campaign aims to promote public awareness of natural disasters and encourage them to join in the effort to take precautions against natural disasters.

The campaign is also in response to the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction launched by the United Nations in 1999.

Hong Kong Observatory Director Lam Chiu-ying called on the public to take routine precautionary measures against natural hazards. "Whether it will cause casualties or not depends on what precautionary measures we have taken," he added.

A wide range of programmes to roll out

Jointly organised by the Security Bureau, Civil Engineering & Development Department, Hong Kong Observatory, Drainage Services Department, Information Services Department and Hong Kong Red Cross, the campaign covers a range of community education programmes.

These include TV programmes, a tropical cyclone naming contest, popular science lectures, slogan and bookmark design contests, a seminar on natural disaster reduction, a major exhibition at the Science Museum and rescue drill demonstrations.

A three-day exhibition starting today on Government mitigation measures and warning systems regarding common disasters in Hong Kong such as typhoons, flooding, landslides and hill fires is being held at the Central Atrium of Olympian City 2, Kowloon.

More details are available at saferliving.info.gov.hk or by calling the hotline, 2760 5800.