Barriers to prevent loss of sand at beaches in Tuen Mun, Lantau
Two beaches popular with swimmers and sun lovers will undergo maintenance work from July, intended to stop further loss of sand.
Temporary barriers would be built perpendicular to the waterline to hold sand in place at Golden Beach in Tuen Mun and Upper Cheung Sha Beach on Lantau Island, a government spokesman said yesterday. Permanent solutions will come later, after more study of the problem.
The maintenance work will affect 2.17 hectares of the foreshore and seabed at Golden Beach, and 1.91 hectares at Upper Cheung Sha Beach. The work is to continue from July to September, when Hong Kong's beaches are their busiest.
The loss of sand at Golden Beach was so serious last year that the Leisure and Cultural Services Department had to close part of it to the public. The retreating sand left the bases of lookout towers exposed.
Sand loss in recent years had been caused by 'the change of environmental factors', a department spokeswoman said, without giving further details.
Upper Cheung Sha Beach was restored with 8,914 cubic metres of sand two years ago, at a cost of HK$1.7 million. Tonnes of sand washed away when Typhoon Hagupit hit last September.
The government then hired a contractor to study the problem at the two beaches and develop a long-term solution.
A similar study was also contracted for two other beaches in Southern district that had lost sand - Deep Water Bay and Stanley Main Beach. It is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
'Before long-term solutions are implemented, the government will conduct short-term maintenance work in accordance with the consultant's recommendations,' the spokeswoman said.
Ng Sai-leung, professor of Chinese University's department of geography and resource management, said earlier that sand for restoration work had to be chosen carefully: its colour and texture were two important factors that needed to be considered.
