He was speaking during a visit to the flood-stricken areas around the city of Chenzhou in Central China's Hunan Province on Monday and Tuesday.

Hunan Province has been in danger of severe flooding since April. The province's Chenzhou and Hangyang areas experienced severe flooding and landslides in the past week due to heavy rainfall. The natural disasters killed 180 people.

Wen visited several villages in Chenzhou's Beihu District, where most houses were damaged by the severe flooding.

He encouraged local citizens to keep their spirits high in the face of the severe natural disasters, and asked them to do their best to rebuild their houses and restore agricultural production when the flood retreats.

The vice-premier promised that local governments would guarantee that people had what they needed to live during such a difficult period.

He ordered local governments to carefully investigate the damages that the flood had brought to local people, and find secure places for local people to rebuild their homes.

Wen also visited some flood-endangered sections of local rivers and water reservoirs. He extended his gratitude to the people who have been working there to stop possible collapse of the banks. He said disaster-relief personnel should maintain the utmost vigilance during the flood season.

Heavy rainfall in southern parts of China has also raised water levels in the Beijiang, Wujiang and Zhenjiang rivers in Guangdong Province over the past few days.

Two sections of the bank along the Wujiang River were breached this week, and more than 2,000 troops were sent there for urgent rescue work.

Xinhua News Agency said more than 10,000 citizens living near the Wujiang River had been successfully transferred to safer places by yesterday, and there were no report of casualties so far.

Flood conditions in Northeast China's Jilin Province were also serious, and local disaster-relief departments have been busy preparing for the upcoming heavy rainfall, said Xinhua.

(China Daily August 15, 2002)