Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has urged governments at various levels
to pay due attention to flood control while fighting
SARS
epidemic.
The order came after mountain floods triggered by continuous
torrential rain in the past week killed 25 people and left 13
missing in Hunan Province, and torrential rains in south China's
Guangdong Province on May 16 and 17 left 15 people dead and eight
others missing.
In
an instruction made public on Sunday, the premier said governments,
including water resources departments, at all levels should attach
great importance to flood control and drought prevention to ensure
the safety of people and the normal performance of the economy in
areas hit by floods even as the country was fighting severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS).
According to a report released by the State Flood Control and
Drought Relief Headquarters, seven provincial areas experienced
heavy rains from May 12 to 18.
The areas include south China's Hunan and Guangdong Provinces,
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, east China's Jiangxi and Fujian
Provinces, and southwest China's Guizhou Province.
The Xiangjiang River basin was hit by the worst flood in a decade,
it said.
Many areas in these provincial regions recorded rainfall of about
100 mm during the past week.
The headquarters, which coordinates the country's efforts to curb
flood and drought, called on local governments to do their utmost
in flood control while fighting SARS.
(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2003)