Parts of urban streets and lanes in south China cities hit by
tropical storm Bilis are still inundated in water, days after the
storm disappeared.
Many cities in Hunan, Fujian, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangxi
provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region are suffering from
flooding due to ineffective urban drainage, say local government
departments.
Some streets and lanes in Nanning, capital of Guangxi, are still
water courses. In the city of 2.49 million, many sections of the
drainage system date back to the 1960s. Outfalls are often blocked
by plastic bags full of construction waste.
Cheng Xiaotao, senior engineer with the China Water Conservancy
and Hydroelectric Power Research Institute, said only 177 of 642
cities at risk of serious flooding had their urban infrastructure
built to meet the national flood-control criteria, which came into
effect in 1995.
In Guangxi, more than 6.53 million people were affected by the
Bilis-induced rainstorms, flooding and mudslides, which incurred
over 2.2 billion yuan (US$2.75 million) in losses.
The damage in Nanning was unlikely to be repaired quickly
because work was hindered by waterlogging.
"The disappearance of natural water storage plains and low-lying
ground in the city, as a result of urban development, is to blame
for the serious waterlogging in the urban area," said Cheng.
As China's urban population continues to grow from the present
460 million to an estimated 800 million in the middle of this
century, cities would be under growing threat of flooding in heavy
rain.
(Xinhua News Agency July 21, 2006)