China stresses need to prevent, control floods, droughts

Volunteers check on an embankment along a river in Shaoqidi Village of Huanghuadian Town, Wuqing District of Tianjin Municipality, north China, Aug. 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

BEIJING, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities on Monday held a video conference to discuss the country's rain, flooding, drought and geological disaster situations.

The meeting was co-organized by the office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management, and was joined by the China Meteorological Administration, the Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Severe mountain torrents and mudslides have occurred recently in multiple parts of China, according to the meeting.

Parts of the main stream of the Songhua River and the Haihe River Basin continue to run at relatively high water levels in their descending stages, and dikes in Hebei and Tianjin are in a critical period of flood control, it said.

Heavy rainstorms are lashing the south of the country, while drought is evolving in northern regions including Gansu and Xinjiang, the meeting said.

It noted that flood control and drought relief situations remain grim for China.

The meeting urged authorities to make good use of various flood control methods and rescue and relief forces to strengthen inspection and defense procedures for river embankments. It also urged authorities to ensure good work in the resettlement of people affected by the extreme weather.

Gansu, Xinjiang and other drought-stricken areas should take close care to undertake their responsibility to combat drought at all levels, and make scientific use of various water resources.

On Monday, Chinese authorities dispatched 20 large drainage pumps and other emergency relief supplies to Tianjin to support the municipality's flood control and drainage work.

The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has maintained a third-level flood control emergency response in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, and working teams and expert groups are continuing their on-site support for flood control and rescue work in Tianjin and Hebei.