New Yellow River Floods Predicted, Preparations Urged 　　Local governments along the Yellow River in China are being alerted and are asked by Vice Premier Wen Jiabao, head of the state Headquarters of Flood Control and Drought Relief to get prepared for possible floods in the oncoming summer. 　　Wen said that the possibility of severe flooding on the Yellow River has been increasing and that efforts should be made for the coming flooding season. Officials should have a clear understanding of the tough situation and be ready to deal with possible problems to be met, he demanded, at a recent meeting on flood control in the city of Zhengzhou in Henan, central China. 　　The Yellow River has caused frequent disasters over the past 2,500 years. Dykes on the lower reaches have been breached more than 1,500 times. 　　The river has withstood floods for the past several decades, Wen said, but meteorologists forecast greater rainfall on the middle and lower reaches this year. Many sections of the river have silted up and are vulnerable, he said, and there are problems with the dykes. 　　A good flood prevention job is vital to the safety of tens of millions of people and their property and will have a major impact on the nation's reforms, development and stability, Wen said. 　　He emphasized the importance of speeding up construction of water conservation projects in the area and asked departments to ensure the quality of the projects and to make detailed emergency plans and to have sufficient flood-control materials. 　　He said that emergency personnel should be trained and the army and local people should increase cooperation. HomeNews 1999-05-20 Page2 Full Story in Chinese