Beijing, Aug 9 (IANS) China’s Ministry of Water Resources activated a Level IV flood-control emergency response on Saturday for five provincial-level regions, as heavy to torrential rains are predicted to sweep across vast parts of the country in the coming days.
From August 9 to 11, intense rainfall is expected to batter Henan, Hubei, Chongqing, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Anhui, and Gansu, where the alert was already in place, with some areas facing extreme downpours.
The downpours may cause sharp water level rises in the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze and Huaihe Rivers, while some small and medium-sized rivers in high-risk areas could exceed warning levels, Xinhua news agency reported.
The ministry has urged local authorities to step up real-time monitoring of rainfall and river conditions, issue timely public alerts, and enhance urban waterlogging-prevention measures.
Special emphasis should be placed on mitigating risks in smaller rivers and ensuring early evacuations of residents in dangerous areas, according to the ministry.
On Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged all-out search and rescue efforts, as well as flood control and disaster relief work, after mountain torrents in northwest China’s Gansu Province have left 10 people dead and 33 missing as of 3:30 pm.
Xi, also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, attached great importance to the situation of the disaster triggered by continuous heavy rainfall, which hit areas including Yuzhong County of Lanzhou, the provincial capital.
The immediate task was to search for and rescue the missing people by every possible means, relocate and resettle residents in danger, minimize casualties, and restore communication and transportation as soon as possible, Xi instructed.
He noted that given the recent frequent occurrence of extreme weather, local authorities and relevant departments must strengthen risk forecasting and early warning, identify and rectify hidden hazards, reinforce emergency response and on-call duty arrangements, and enhance flood control and disaster relief work with targeted measures so as to ensure people’s safety during the flood season.
Noting that China is currently in a critical period of flood control, Li stressed the need to stay vigilant, fulfill duties, strengthen monitoring and early warnings of rain and flooding, and enhance disaster-prevention and response efforts.
–IANS
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