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Organised by Tung Wah Museum and In association with Hong Kong Museum of History " Brewing Storms: Hong Kong's Major Typhoons, Aftermath and Recovery " Talk Series

June 2024

First talk: " From Typhoon of 1874 to Mangkhut: Major Typhoons in the History of Hong Kong " 

 

Hong Kong is prone to typhoons attacks, which often lead to casualties, infrastructural damage and the collapse of buildings. These calamities leave a huge impact on society and lead a massive blow to the economy. Between the Typhoon of 1874 and Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018, many tropical storms hit Hong Kong hard. Notable devastating typhoons before the Second World War include the Typhoon of 1874, the 1906 Hong Kong Typhoon and the 1937 Hong Kong Typhoon, all of which brought severe casualties and significant damage. Major storms that followed include Typhoon Mary (1960), Typhoon Wanda (1962), Typhoon Hope (1979) and Typhoon Ellen (1983), as well as the more recent ones like Typhoon Hato (2017) and Typhoon Mangkhut (2018). Through invaluable photographs and archives, the speaker will give an overview of the major typhoons in Hong Kong’s history, while sharing his insights and anecdotes of his research with the audience.

Speaker: Mr. SHUN Chi Ming (Former Director of the Hong Kong Observatory)

Date: 13 July 2024 (Saturday)

Time: 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Venue: Lecture Theatre, Hong Kong Museum of History (100 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon)

 

Second talk: " From Relief to Recovery: Tung Wah's Charitable Work in the Aftermath of Typhoons "

Whenever a typhoon causes severe casualties and economic losses in Hong Kong, swift action is required to deal with the aftermath. Tung Wah’s disaster relief works in Hong Kong commenced immediately after the Typhoon of 1874. At that time only basic meteorological monitoring was available, making typhoon forecasts impossible. As a result, many people were injured or killed. In response, Tung Wah not only provided medical service but also hired boats and employed workers to search for the bodies of victims along the coasts of the outlying islands. Additionally, funerals and burials of the deceased were conducted. After such disaster, Tung Wah built the “Public Graves for Typhoon Victims” (in Kai Lung Wan) and erected the “Monument to the Victims of the 1874 Typhoon at Hong Kong” to commemorate the devastating calamity. Tung Wah has since provided relief to survivors and helped to inter those killed after every natural or human-made disaster in Hong Kong. Utilising Tung Wah's historical archives, the speaker will discuss the organisation’s relief and recovery efforts in the aftermath of typhoons.

Speaker: Miss June YUEN (Head of Records and Heritage Office, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals)

Date: 10 August 2024 (Saturday)

Time: 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Venue: Lecture Theatre, Hong Kong Museum of History (100 Chatham Road South, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon)

 

* The lecture will be conducted in Cantonese.

* Free admission.

* For details, please visit the website of Hong Kong Museum of History.

* First come, first served.

* Subject to the consent from the speakers, video archive will be uploaded to our Office's website for review.

备注

本办公室已敦促属下员工及活动提供者,于服务提供时必须留意 并遵从《中华人民共和国香港特别行政区维护国家安全法》和与维护国家安全有关的香港其它法律,包括但不限于《国旗及国徽 条例》、《区旗及区徽条例》及《国歌条例》,并确保在辖下单 位内的行为或活动不会可能构成或可能导致在国安法或香港其它 法律下属危害国家安全,或不利于国家安全的罪行。

 

Yau Ma Tei after being swept over by the typhoon in 1874
The Public Graves for Typhoon Victims of the 1874 Typhoon at HK in c.1920s