HAD opens temporary heat shelters

The Home Affairs Department is opening 19 community halls/community centres as temporary heat shelters today (August 24). The Home Affairs Department and the District Offices review from time to time the arrangements of heat shelters with a view to enhancing their services. A series of service enhancement measures have been introduced this year, including strengthening the cooling and ventilation facilities, providing drinking water dispensers which are more easily accessible, offering personal cooling items, providing more comfortable rest areas and improving the female zone, while food items that cater for the dietary needs of ethnic minorities are even provided in certain heat shelters, so as to provide more comprehensive services for users of heat shelters. The temporary heat shelters will remain open for people to take refuge from the heat when the Very Hot Weather Warning is in force. From 10.30pm to 8am the next day, the temporary heat shelters will also provide bedding and a sleeping place for people in need. The shelters are manned by duty attendants. For further information, please call the department's hotline before midnight on 2572 8427. The heat shelters are located a