Beijing, Aug 9
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 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.
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.