Due to Hong Kong's dense population and lack of flat land in the mountainous terrain, many buildings and roads have to be built along hillsides, resulting in numerous steep man-made slopes. Under the influence of seasonal rainstorms, landslides have always been one of the most common natural hazards in Hong Kong.

Although many people view Hong Kong as a concrete jungle, over 60% of the total land area is natural terrain and the Catalogue of Slopes currently contains about 61 000 registered man-made slopes. In other words, a substantial portion of the developed areas and population is situated on or close to steep hillsides. Landslide is a natural phenomenon. If landslides occur on these hillsides, they will pose potential threat to urban development.

Looking back in time, landslides have caused severe casualties and destroyed many homes in Hong Kong. On average, about 300 landslides are reported to the Geotechnical Engineering Office each year. Although the Government has strived to improve slope safety issues, it is obvious that landslide risk cannot be eliminated due to the hilly terrain and densely populated developments in Hong Kong. Furthermore, the landslide risk would progressively increase with time due to slope degradation, population growth and effects of climate change. Concerted efforts of the Government and the public are crucial in enhancing the community's resilience against landslide disasters and reducing the potential loss of life and damage to property.