Government bureaus responded immediately and appropriately to last weekend's rainstorm but improvements could be made, officials in charge of relief efforts said yesterday. 'This rain was very out of the ordinary. The various departments were mobilised immediately to ensure measures were put in place for the public,' Secretary for Development Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said. 'There's always room for improvement. This gives us the chance to review our response in remedial works.' Hong Kong had one of the world's best landslide prevention and management systems because of its hilly topography, Mrs Lam said. Most of the landslides after the storm were on natural slopes, not managed ones, indicating the government's handling of slopes was adequate. Mrs Lam also said the public should take precautions. 'Whenever we have this kind of storm, the public should also increase their own awareness,' she said. Her comments came after residents on Lantau Island - particularly in Tai O - in Sheung Wan and near Sha Tin complained bitterly about the government's response. She said she had initiated a system in which the four regional heads of the Civil Engineering and Development Department would take charge of public works after a natural calamity, with the Home Affairs Department directing civil affairs. The drainage services, water supplies, and civil engineering and development departments, and the Geotechnical Engineering Office yesterday reported their progress after last Saturday's rainstorm caused major damage across the city. Drainage services said it had completed all emergency work and was clearing large rocks from mountain drains in Tai O, repairing a broken drainage pipe in Hung Hom and clearing drains in Wing Lok Street, Sheung Wan, to allow water to flow at full capacity. The Geotechnical Engineering Office had sent teams to climb and inspect 12 slopes in particular danger of landslides and staff were monitoring other slopes closely, deputy head Wong Hok-ning said. Police reporting centres received 162 reports of landslides, but helicopter inspections by the Geotechnical Engineering Office recorded more than 400, mostly on Lantau. In Tai O, Home Affairs was working closely with residents, Islands District officer Byron Lam Saint-kit said. 'All the government departments have done their best, ever since the beginning of the storm,' he said in response to complaints that affected residents were not registered until 24 hours after the landslides. 'We are in constant contact with the village committees and village residents.'