Flood control efforts should be intensified to minimize losses

English.news.cn 2012-07-17 21:04:20

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BEIJING, July 17 (Xinhua) -- Disaster prevention and relief authorities should make greater efforts to ensure the safety of the public and minimize property losses, as China has reached a crucial point in its ongoing flood season.

Early warnings and timely responses are key to flood control efforts.

Ministries and local governments should enhance meteorological monitoring and early warning forecasts and ensure that relevant information reaches every household.

The authorities should also make every endeavor to eliminate potential risks in major rivers and dikes and guard against rain-triggered floods and other disasters. They should open disaster shelters in advance so as to conduct evacuations in a timely manner.

Once a disaster occurs, government agencies should initiate an emergency response as soon as possible and send teams to disaster-hit regions to collect data on losses of life and property and direct relief work.

Sufficient preparations should be made to ensure that disaster relief personnel, materials and funds are accessible for those who need them as quickly as possible.

Great importance should be attached to taking care of flood victims and making sure they have access to food, clothing, shelter, drinking water and medical care.

The life and work of people residing in areas facing the threat of floods must be minimally disrupted. The authorities should offer psychological support to disaster-affected people to ensure social order and stability.

In addition, the authorities should intensify management and supervision of relief materials and funds to ensure that the materials and funds reach disaster-affected people in a timely, open and transparent way.

Torrential rains have ravaged southern and central China over the past week, leaving 30 dead and another four missing and causing direct economic losses of 3.82 billion yuan (about 599.27 million U.S. dollars), according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

The downpours and subsequent natural disasters have affected about 7.4 million people in seven provincial regions and forced the evacuation of about 431,000 residents.

Torrential rains have also damaged roads, inundated crops and disrupted power networks.

The China Meteorological Administration said heavy rains will likely hit more regions in the south over the next few days.

Disaster relief work is proceeding in an orderly and smooth fashion at present under the guidance of government agencies.

However, relying solely on the government will not be enough. Efforts from various institutions and individuals are necessary to help disaster-affected people make it past this difficult season.