Continued rainstorms, floods
and landslides have killed at least 45 people and affected millions
in southern China in recent days.
Disaster relief headquarters for Guangxi
Zhuang Autonomous Region said on Wednesday that 24 people there
have been confirmed dead and 23 others missing. Economic losses of
1.67 billion yuan (US$2.01 billion) have been suffered, 328,000
hectares of crops damaged, 20,000 houses destroyed and another
50,000 damaged.
The provincial government of Guangdong
said torrential rains since June 18 have led to nine deaths and
affected a population of 540,000. In Fujian
Province, the death toll from floods and landslides has risen to 12
while five others are still missing.
Rainstorms caused the collapse of the Longchuan-Huizhou part of the
Beijing-Kowloon railway line in eastern Guangdong, leaving dozens
of trains delayed or cancelled. By press time, local rescuers were
rushing to repair the track in spite of the rain.
Water levels in rivers running through Guangxi and Guangdong
have also surpassed flood warning thresholds.
At Wuzhou Hydrographic Station on the Xijiang, in Guangdong near
the Guangxi border, levels reached 23.56 meters by 5 PM on Tuesday,
6.26 meters higher than the threshold.
Guangxi's hydrology bureau said the water at Wuxuan on the
Qianjiang reached 62.12 meters at the same time, 7.12 meters higher
than danger levels, whilst that at Dahuangjiangkou on the Xunjiang
reached 35.97 meters, 6.97 meters higher.
Premier
Wen
Jiabao and Vice-Premier
Hui
Liangyu yesterday urged governments at all levels to identify
tasks, improve emergency plans and enforce prediction and
monitoring of floods.
The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters also sent a
notice calling for a close watch on weather and flood changes, and
enforcement on flood defense works to make sure all dams and
reservoirs can avoid disaster.
Despite of torrential rains in the south, a heat wave gripped 13
provinces and regions across the country yesterday with the mercury
hitting 42 degrees Celsius in some parts, according to
meteorological officials.
(Xinhua News Agency,
China Daily, June 22, 2005)
