Wen heads battle to halt the floods
July 25, 2010, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
PREMIER Wen Jiabao said yesterday flood control efforts are at a "crucial stage" as the death toll jumped by more than a dozen yesterday and more torrential rains were expected today.
Water levels on the upper parts of China's largest river, the Yangtze, are at their highest since 1987, and water levels on its middle and lower reaches were over warning levels for the first time since 2003.
Wen ordered officials to prepare for "more serious floods and disasters."
Wading through floodwaters in rubber boots, the premier was in the central province of Hubei, where the rising water levels have put pressure on the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydroelectric project.
The Ministry of Water Resources warned yesterday that water levels at the dam would rise again soon and could exceed the record high reached on Friday.
Wen ordered local governments to step up patrols and guard against potential risks to ensure the safety of major rivers, large and medium-sized reservoirs and key infrastructure facilities.
He said local authorities should strengthen monitoring and prevention of geological disasters such as landslides and mud flow, and relocate affected residents to avoid casualties.
He also urged local governments to ensure daily necessities for affected people and to strive to restore normal life and production as soon as possible.
Local governments should speed up construction of embankments on small and medium-sized rivers and consolidate small reservoirs to enhance their flood control capabilities, he said.
Local Communist Party of China committees and governments must enforce flood control accountability and severely punish those whose performances were lax, he said.
Hubei flood control officials said the water level at the Three Gorges Dam was 17 meters from its maximum capacity of 175 meters as of 8am yesterday.
Wen said the US$23 billion Three Gorges Dam played an important role in flood prevention along the Yangtze.
More than 1,000 people have died or are missing after severe flooding in China so far this year, the highest death toll since 1998.
Another 13 died early yesterday in a landslide caused by heavy rains in Pingliang City in northwestern province of Gansu.
In southwestern Sichuan Province, four people were dead and 16 others missing after torrential rains caused flooding yesterday.
Floods have hit 28 provinces, regions and municipalities, affecting 120 million people and swamping 7.6 million hectares of farmland, according to the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.
They have destroyed 670,000 homes and resulted in direct economic losses of 152.4 billion yuan (US$22.51 billion).
(Shanghai Daily/Agencies)
Water levels on the upper parts of China's largest river, the Yangtze, are at their highest since 1987, and water levels on its middle and lower reaches were over warning levels for the first time since 2003.
Wen ordered officials to prepare for "more serious floods and disasters."
Wading through floodwaters in rubber boots, the premier was in the central province of Hubei, where the rising water levels have put pressure on the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydroelectric project.
The Ministry of Water Resources warned yesterday that water levels at the dam would rise again soon and could exceed the record high reached on Friday.
Wen ordered local governments to step up patrols and guard against potential risks to ensure the safety of major rivers, large and medium-sized reservoirs and key infrastructure facilities.
He said local authorities should strengthen monitoring and prevention of geological disasters such as landslides and mud flow, and relocate affected residents to avoid casualties.
He also urged local governments to ensure daily necessities for affected people and to strive to restore normal life and production as soon as possible.
Local governments should speed up construction of embankments on small and medium-sized rivers and consolidate small reservoirs to enhance their flood control capabilities, he said.
Local Communist Party of China committees and governments must enforce flood control accountability and severely punish those whose performances were lax, he said.
Hubei flood control officials said the water level at the Three Gorges Dam was 17 meters from its maximum capacity of 175 meters as of 8am yesterday.
Wen said the US$23 billion Three Gorges Dam played an important role in flood prevention along the Yangtze.
More than 1,000 people have died or are missing after severe flooding in China so far this year, the highest death toll since 1998.
Another 13 died early yesterday in a landslide caused by heavy rains in Pingliang City in northwestern province of Gansu.
In southwestern Sichuan Province, four people were dead and 16 others missing after torrential rains caused flooding yesterday.
Floods have hit 28 provinces, regions and municipalities, affecting 120 million people and swamping 7.6 million hectares of farmland, according to the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.
They have destroyed 670,000 homes and resulted in direct economic losses of 152.4 billion yuan (US$22.51 billion).
(Shanghai Daily/Agencies)
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