Wen tours flood zone and praises rescuers
Source: Xinhua/Shanghai Daily |
June 25, 2010, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
PREMIER Wen Jiabao rallied rescuers and comforted victims in southern China's Jiangxi Province yesterday following widespread flooding that has killed at least 211 people and caused 43 billion yuan (US$6 billion) in damages.
More torrential rains are expected for the southern regions of Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangxi in the next two days, threatening to hamper rescue efforts that have seen a total of 2.4 million people evacuated from their homes.
Wen arrived in flood-stricken Fuzhou City amid heavy rains, wearing galoshes and wading through floodwaters in the disaster area, according to footage aired on China Central Television.
About 100,000 people were evacuated earlier this week in Fuzhou as the nearby Fuhe River breached its banks and a dike on another portion of the river burst.
'Miracle'
"You are not afraid of sacrifice and in 48 hours, managed to rescue 100,000 people without a single casualty," Wen told paramilitary troops, speaking into a bullhorn shielded with an orange plastic bag. "You have created a miracle in history."
Wen later toured a sports arena that has been turned into a shelter for displaced residents. He asked an old woman whether she had enough to eat and sat on a straw mat on the ground to chat with a woman holding a baby.
Storms have pounded southern China for more than a week, killing at least 211 people, with more than 100 missing, as landslides have cut off transportation and rivers and reservoirs have overflowed.
Thousands of soldiers and workers were transporting stones and sandbags to block and redirect water flows.
The Fuhe River breached its banks for a second time early Wednesday, two days after a dike on another section of the river burst, the provincial Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said.
Still pouring
The breaches were expected to be fixed in six days, but continuing heavy rains could undermine the efforts.
"Workers are battling to build a road to carry stones and other materials and we plan to block the breaches in six days," said a spokesman with the headquarters.
Torrential rain had further drenched Fuzhou since Wednesday night and was still pouring down at noon yesterday.
A landslide carrying 50,000 cubic meters of debris hit Qingfeng River in Fengcheng City on Wednesday, threatening the safety of 500,000 people in Jiangxi.
In Fujian Province, education authorities rescheduled the senior high school entrance exams from June 23 to July 2, as landslides severed roads and schools were inundated in the hard-hit city of Nanping.
More torrential rains are expected for the southern regions of Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangxi in the next two days, threatening to hamper rescue efforts that have seen a total of 2.4 million people evacuated from their homes.
Wen arrived in flood-stricken Fuzhou City amid heavy rains, wearing galoshes and wading through floodwaters in the disaster area, according to footage aired on China Central Television.
About 100,000 people were evacuated earlier this week in Fuzhou as the nearby Fuhe River breached its banks and a dike on another portion of the river burst.
'Miracle'
"You are not afraid of sacrifice and in 48 hours, managed to rescue 100,000 people without a single casualty," Wen told paramilitary troops, speaking into a bullhorn shielded with an orange plastic bag. "You have created a miracle in history."
Wen later toured a sports arena that has been turned into a shelter for displaced residents. He asked an old woman whether she had enough to eat and sat on a straw mat on the ground to chat with a woman holding a baby.
Storms have pounded southern China for more than a week, killing at least 211 people, with more than 100 missing, as landslides have cut off transportation and rivers and reservoirs have overflowed.
Thousands of soldiers and workers were transporting stones and sandbags to block and redirect water flows.
The Fuhe River breached its banks for a second time early Wednesday, two days after a dike on another section of the river burst, the provincial Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said.
Still pouring
The breaches were expected to be fixed in six days, but continuing heavy rains could undermine the efforts.
"Workers are battling to build a road to carry stones and other materials and we plan to block the breaches in six days," said a spokesman with the headquarters.
Torrential rain had further drenched Fuzhou since Wednesday night and was still pouring down at noon yesterday.
A landslide carrying 50,000 cubic meters of debris hit Qingfeng River in Fengcheng City on Wednesday, threatening the safety of 500,000 people in Jiangxi.
In Fujian Province, education authorities rescheduled the senior high school entrance exams from June 23 to July 2, as landslides severed roads and schools were inundated in the hard-hit city of Nanping.
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