Coldest October day in 22 years

With the temperature dipping further Thursday, Hong Kong experienced the coldest October day in 22 years.

According to Hong Kong Observatory, the minimum temperature Thursday morning was 15.7 degrees Celsius..

Hong Kong Observatory has forecast fine and dry weather in the next few days. However, mornings and nights would be relatively colder.

Burned remains found in debris

The burned remains of a man was found after firemen put out a blaze under a flyover in Kwai Chung Thursday morning.

The fire started on bamboo poles and other items near Shun Hing Centre in Wing Kei Road around 7 am. The fire was put out half an hour later. Articles of daily usage and a bankbook were found at the scene of the tragedy.

Ng Kwok-Keung, chief inspector of Kwai Tsing District Police, said the man has not been identified. Preliminary examination didn't find any surface wound. Neither was any combustible material found. An autopsy will be performed to ascertain the cause of his death.

Empty bus rolls down ramp

A tour bus parked on a ramp rolled more than 20 meters before hitting a booth toll and injuring a guard inside.

The rare accident took place at a parking lot at 2 Wah Lok Path in Aberdeen. It was around 7 am when that vehicle suddenly started to move. It hit a car before crashing into the toll booth. The injured guard managed to pull himself out and call police.

Police believed that the driver's failure to brake the bus led to the accident.

Small peak of HFMD continues

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health Thursday reminded people of the need for enough caution and safeguards against hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD).

While May-June is normally the peak season of HFMD infection in Hong Kong, a CHP spokesman said a small peak of HFMD activity had also occurred from October to December in the past three years.

Since the beginning of this school year in September, CHP has noted an increasing trend of HFMD institutional outbreaks, with 81 cases recorded in September alone. This number is much higher compared with the corresponding periods in 2008 and 2009, when only two and five cases respectively were recorded. More than 20 institutional outbreaks per week have been reported so far this month.

Seamens' study center opens

Hong Kong's first free study centre dedicated to the provision of professional training and learning facilities for seafarers - the Hong Kong Seamen's Union's Study Centre - has opened. The centre is equipped with computer software on ship safety and more than 1,000 books. It is designed for the use of up to 20 people at a time and its library has a collection of 200 types of books.

In addition, the library houses publications of the International Maritime Organization, training videos, training manuals and charts. The government has set aside $1 million for the procurement of information materials.

China Daily

(HK Edition 10/29/2010 page1)