The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (SFCDRH)
announced that the eighth tropical storm Saomai is heading
northwestward towards China at 20 kilometers per hour and shall
land at Zhejiang and Fujian provinces around this Thursday.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Bopha, the ninth of its kind to hit
China this year, is approaching the mainland and may make landfall
in Fujian Province.
Frequent tropical storms this year bring heavy rains or
rainstorms to the country, and heighten water level of rivers and
storage of reservoirs. Heavy rains also cause damages to water
structures that enhance the difficulty of flood control.
E Jingping, the State-Secretary of SFCDRH and vice minister of
water resources, has warned to make preparation for the happening
of big floods and ensure the safety of reservoirs.
Provinces of Fujian, Zhejiang and Guangdong as well as the Pearl River Flood
Control Headquarters are requested to strengthen preparation for
floods, while Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality, where have no rain for
two months successively, are requested to carry out emergency water
diversion or well digging for safeguarding water supply.
SFCDRH will soon allocate funds to the local government for flood
control and drought relief.
(mwr.gov.cn August 9, 2006)
