With heavy rain continuing to fall in parts of China and more to
follow, the risk of widespread flooding looms large.
The China Meteorological Administration has warned that heavy rain
is expected in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River,
with no let up in the torrents in sight for Southwest China.
"Parts of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces are likely to be
particularly badly affected by heavy rainstorms," the
administration said.
In
Central China's Hunan Province, where weekend floods claimed 25
lives and left thousands homeless, three more bouts of heavy
downpours are expected over the next 10 days.
"Nearly all of the province will be affected by the coming rounds
of rain, and regional flooding and landslides are likely to take
place," local meteorological authorities warned.
Provincial Party Secretary Yang Zhengwu yesterday urged local
governments to take more effective measures to combat the threat of
flooding.
"The weather in the province is abnormal this year because the
season of rainstorms has come nearly one month earlier than usual,"
said Yang.
Meanwhile, prolonged drought has been hitting some parts of North
China and Northeast China.
Drought has caused a sharp drop in water level at the Harbin
section of the Songhu River in Northeast China's Heilongjiang
Province, its lowest point ever recorded.
The level was 1.39 meters lower than that of last year, which was
also a record low.
If
there is no major rain, the river's water level will continue to
decline, said a local hydrometeorological bureau official.
The flooding in Hunan has sounded the alarm in other provinces and
cities accustomed to annual deluges and they are on high alert.
The government of Chongqing Municipality, located along the upper
reaches of the Yangtze River, yesterday issued an urgent circular,
requiring all flood-control organizations to be well prepared to
fight possible floods.
Weather forecasts, flood reports and inspections are required to be
frequent and timely throughout the rainy season.
Drizzle and moderate rain has occurred in the city and surrounding
regions since 15 May. But all the rivers in and around Chongqing
are currently running at a safe level and below the danger
line.
In
Central China's Hubei Province, anti-flood defences were described
as satisfactory.
But maintaining a heightened state of flood alert on reservoirs and
small and medium-sized rivers has topped the agenda of the local
government, said provincial official, surnamed Liu.
Rainstorms are common occurrences in the province during the rainy
season, posing a challenge for the province's 5,800 reservoirs,
most of which are now 30-40 years old.
"Hidden dangers are prone to occur in the reservoir region," Liu
warned.
This year's rainfall has, to date, been heavier than in previous
years.
During the January-April period, rainfall in the provincial capital
Wuhan totaled 493 millimeters, over 50 per cent higher than in
average years, weather statistics indicated.
(China Daily May 22, 2003)