Death toll 147 as storms rage on
Source: Agencies/Shanghai Daily |
June 21, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
Major rivers burst their banks in southern China, triggering massive floods that have killed at least 147 people and forced 860,000 to flee their homes, the government said yesterday.
With dozens missing and more storms forecast, the death toll is expected to rise.
More than 10 million people have been affected since torrential rains began on June 13, including those who had been injured, stranded or had suffered property losses, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.
While the death toll was up from 90 on Saturday, the number of evacuees was lower than the previous day's figure of 1.4 million. Another 93 people are still missing.
China sustains major flooding annually along the Yangtze and other major rivers, but this year's floods have been especially heavy, spreading across nine provinces and regions in the south.
Thousands of houses have been destroyed and economic losses have topped 14 billion yuan (US$2 billion), the ministry said.
More thunderstorms are forecast for today.
Waters have surged past safe levels in dozens of rivers, including the Pearl River in the heart of China's industrial powerhouse of Guangdong Province. The storms have collapsed reservoirs, overflowed rivers, caused landslides and power outages and damaged highways.
The flooding follows the worst drought in a century for the southern provinces and regions of Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi. It left millions without drinking water and destroyed more than 5 million hectares of crops.
Premier Wen Jiabao urged more efforts to fight the floods and reassured residents living in areas ravaged by flooding, while inspecting Wuzhou in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, one of the worst affected areas.
During a two-day visit which ended yesterday, Wen checked on water levels and river banks in Wuzhou, and visited households in mountainous areas, urban downtowns and rural areas, pledging that the government would use all means to fight flooding.
He highlighted the importance of relief work in schools, mines, railways and roads, as well as tourism sites.
He called for immediate reports and instant responses on risks of dam and reservoir breaks. And he said more efforts should be taken to safeguard public safety.
With dozens missing and more storms forecast, the death toll is expected to rise.
More than 10 million people have been affected since torrential rains began on June 13, including those who had been injured, stranded or had suffered property losses, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.
While the death toll was up from 90 on Saturday, the number of evacuees was lower than the previous day's figure of 1.4 million. Another 93 people are still missing.
China sustains major flooding annually along the Yangtze and other major rivers, but this year's floods have been especially heavy, spreading across nine provinces and regions in the south.
Thousands of houses have been destroyed and economic losses have topped 14 billion yuan (US$2 billion), the ministry said.
More thunderstorms are forecast for today.
Waters have surged past safe levels in dozens of rivers, including the Pearl River in the heart of China's industrial powerhouse of Guangdong Province. The storms have collapsed reservoirs, overflowed rivers, caused landslides and power outages and damaged highways.
The flooding follows the worst drought in a century for the southern provinces and regions of Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi. It left millions without drinking water and destroyed more than 5 million hectares of crops.
Premier Wen Jiabao urged more efforts to fight the floods and reassured residents living in areas ravaged by flooding, while inspecting Wuzhou in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, one of the worst affected areas.
During a two-day visit which ended yesterday, Wen checked on water levels and river banks in Wuzhou, and visited households in mountainous areas, urban downtowns and rural areas, pledging that the government would use all means to fight flooding.
He highlighted the importance of relief work in schools, mines, railways and roads, as well as tourism sites.
He called for immediate reports and instant responses on risks of dam and reservoir breaks. And he said more efforts should be taken to safeguard public safety.
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