Flood-hit Guangdong to Reinforce Dams--

Flood-hit Guangdong to Reinforce Dams(1)

2007-06-13 10:48:20 [ Big Normal Small ] 　Comment

A section of the dam partially collapsed at the Meijiang River, Meizhou City, in flood-hit southern China's Guangdong Province, on Monday, June 11, 2007. The dam has since been reinforced. [Photo: China Foto Press]

Guangdong, one of the worst flood-hit provinces in south China, is repairing damaged dams as heavy rain is again forecast for the remainder of the week.

A number of sections of dams along Hanjiang River within the territory of Fengxian County, Meizhou City, have eroded away over the past three days due to continuous torrential rains.

Provincial and local governments are working all out to repair the dams and will soon reinforce all dams along the river to prevent further damage and casualties, officials said on Tuesday.

A number of downpours are expected to deluge Guangdong in the next few days and flooding could occur until October, local meteorological departments forecast.

More than 10,000 people have been resettled from six villages that had to be flooded when water was diverted from the swelling Hanjiang River.

Water levels along the Hanjiang River had dropped below the danger level by Tuesday noon after a sluice gate was opened early Monday morning, according to the flood control office of Fengshun County.

Some villages opened up their sluice gates in the afternoon to let water flow back to the Hanjiang River. Floods that once rose to the top of gates have retreated in Liuhuang Town.

The local government organized more than 500 police and army personnel to help the evacuation the towns and rescuers distributed drinking water and food.

In Guangdong alone, at least 20 people were killed, 279 injured and four remained missing.

The province's economic losses stood at 1.25 billion yuan (160 million U.S. dollars), accounting for more than a third of the total losses caused by the rains in southern China.

Electricity has been restored in most of the regions in the province.

Villagers of some badly-affected townships are using homemade rafts as their mode of transportation.

Sitting on a piece foam the size of a table, Liu Fengyuan, 38, managed to make his way from his water-surrounded dwelling to a disaster-relief center in Taihu Village of Huangjin Town to get some bottled water and instant noodles.

As of Monday, the province's civil affairs department had allocated 13 million yuan in relief funds, 285 tents, 280 tons of grains, as well as drinking water and fast food to help the disaster-afflicted people.

Heavy rain has pelted Jiangxi Province the past two days and people there could face more difficulties.

The situation in Fujian, Hunan, and Guizhou Provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, has stabilized, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said on Tuesday without providing further details.

At least 76 people have been killed and 13 are missing in the six provinces and regions in southern China. More than 13.56 million people have been affected by widespread flooding and landslides triggered by continuous rain since June 6, said the ministry.

More than 788,000 people have been relocated to safer places. The natural disasters have caused overall economic losses of more than 4.73 billion yuan (606 million U.S. dollars), half of which is in the agriculture sector.

Market prices of various vegetables have jumped in Fuzhou City of Fujian Province after farmlands were submerged and vegetables rotted in the rain.

In the city's largest vegetable wholesale market, the price of Chinese cabbage, lettuce, broccoli have increased by at least 40 percent over the past week.

The local government is supervising the price fluctuations.

Forecasters at a flood-control conference say Fujian can expect four or five typhoons between July and September.

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