Rains bring flooding to northern China, Yangtze (2)

A man rides along a flooded riverbank in Rong'an. [Photo by Tan Kaixing/For China Daily]

By June 26, Heilongjiang province's local governments had evacuated about 19,000 residents from the Greater Khingan Mountains area, and Heihe and Mudanjiang cities, where floods were affecting about 60,000 hectares of farmland, according to the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.

"Heilongjiang local governments should send experts to ensure the safety of houses that have been flooded for extended periods. No one should be allowed to live in such buildings. Fishing is banned in flooded areas, and traffic is forbidden on dangerous roads," said a notice issued by the Heilongjiang provincial government.

On June 21, the Ministry of Water Resources identified the country's first major river flood so far this year as having happened on the Nenjiang, a tributary of Heilongjiang's Songhua River.

Ning Fanggui, an official with the Songhua and Liaohe Rivers Water Resources Committee, told thepaper.cn that this year, flooding in northeastern China is heavier and a month earlier than normal due to frequent and heavy rainfall.

"Northeast China experienced more rain this June due to a cold vortex from the north," he was quoted as saying.

At a work meeting this week, Zhou Xuewen, vice-minister at the Ministry of Water Resources, said that local flood control and drought relief headquarters should enhance real-time consultation, prediction and supervision.