Chinese vice premier Hui Liangyu on Thursday urged greater disaster relief efforts to avoid fatalities and reduce the loss of property.
At a conference in Beijing, Hui ordered local authorities to use more high-tech and put in place more precautionary measures to boost the disaster relief capacity.
China faces severe situation in forest fire prevention given the dry spring season, he said.
In addition, the frequent occurrence of extreme weather because of the global climate change would not change in the near term, the vice premier said.
Hui also ordered greater efforts on drought relief and post-quake reconstruction in Sichuan Province.
(Xinhua News Agency February 27, 2009)
