The reinforcing work of the Huaibei Embankment with an investment of 2.1 billion yuan (US$254 million) was launched in Yingshang County of east China's Anhui Province, Wednesday.

The Huaihe River valley is a region frequented by floods.

The major flood control project in the Hubei plain, or the plain north of Huaihe River, continues for 640 km in east China. The embankment offers flood barriers for 17 counties and cities of Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, which cover an area of approximately 10,000 square kilometers that has a population of seven million and includes 724,000 hectares of farmland.

Since the early 1980's, China has invested more than 300 million yuan (US$36 million) in reinforcing the embankment.

However, protecting the region of location and economic status, the Huaibei Embankment still has some hidden dangers and is in an urgent need of repair in some sections.

The new reinforcement project, as a major project of the State Council, will be completed at the end of 2007 and be checked upon delivery in 2008.

(Xinhua News Agency January 12, 2005)