China holds flood emergency drill in mega water-transfer project

BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday conducted an emergency drill to test its preparedness for possible floods along the middle route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.

Jointly organized by the Ministry of Water Resources, the provincial government of central China's Henan, and the China South-to-North Water Diversion Corporation Limited, the drill occurred in Henan's Hebi, which receives water supply from the diversion project.

Simulating scenarios such as consistent rainfalls and rising water levels, the drill consisted of various exercises regarding flood alerts and emergency relocation, repair, and rescue.

China's meteorological authorities have forecast "moderate to poor" weather conditions during the flood season this year, with rainfalls concentrated in the northern and southern parts of the country.

The country's South-to-North Water Diversion Project has three routes. The middle route is the most prominent, starting at the Danjiangkou Reservoir in central China's Hubei Province and running across Henan and Hebei before reaching Beijing and Tianjin. It began supplying water in December 2014.