U.N. Agency to Offer Assistance to China Against Flood
The U.N. Environment Program (UNEP) has promised to offer further technical assistance to China in combating the current flood which hit the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in central part of the country.
UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer made the remarks in a letter sent July 8 to Xie Zhenhua, Director of the State Environmental Protection Administration.
In his letter, Toepfer said UNEP sent a mission to China in January this year to assess the environmental damage caused by the floods in 1998 and prepare proposals to address the flood causes.
"While re-confirming our commitments in implementing the projects we have both agreed upon," Toepfer said, "I would like to offer further technical assistance to the government of the People's Republic of China in combating the current floods."
Recently, heavy rains hit China, especially in the central and south parts of the country, causing great damages to the properties and claiming dozens of lives.
Toepfer said UNEP could offer rapid assessment of vulnerable areas and potential impacts on them, particularly, possible large environmental pollution by the floods, and in-depth field observation and study of environmental causes of the floods, such as increased run-off by degraded vegetation cover and deforestation.
He promised that "in any form, I am determined and ready to assist the government of China to mitigate threats and damages to the environment and human life posed by this flood."
Toepfer also designated Xia Kunbao, special advisor to the Deputy Executive Director of UNEP on Emergency Response, as a liaison officer for UNEP's assistance to China against 1999 Yangtze floods. (Xinhua)
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