Temporary housing being set up for victims

More than 6,700 makeshift houses will be erected for Beijing residents whose homes were destroyed in the floods on July 21, marking the start of reconstruction efforts.

"Some families will live in the temporary houses for at least three years, the standard time it takes to construct new permanent houses," said Zhang Nongke, an official from the capital's commission of housing and urban-rural development. Residents whose homes can be repaired will live in the makeshift dwellings for three months at most, the city government said, adding that it is making every effort to guarantee reconstruction is finished by the end of October.

The construction of 6,783 temporary houses began on Thursday at 59 sites that have passed safety inspections by experts in Fangshan district. Fangshan suffered a heavier loss than other districts in Beijing due to its large mountainous areas, where 38 people died.

The construction of the temporary houses is expected to be finished before Aug 5.

"Major parts of these makeshift houses have been made in factories in advance, so they can be set up quickly at the site," said Chen Lu, from Beijing Urban Construction Group, one of the two construction companies working on the project. "This construction is going day and night. Another 2,000 workers will arrive on Monday, ensuring it can be finished as scheduled.

"Though they will be used temporarily, the building standard is quite strict. For example, the makeshift houses where people can live for three years can stand for at least 30 years," he said.

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