Xi urges all-out rescue efforts after floods hit Gansu

President Xi Jinping has called for all-out efforts to search for and rescue the missing, relocate and resettle those at risk, minimize casualties, and swiftly restore communications and transportation following flash floods that killed 10 people and left 33 missing in Northwest China's Gansu province.

Starting on Thursday, Gansu experienced heavy downpours, leading to flash floods in Yuzhong county in Lanzhou, the provincial capital, which blocked roads and left more than 4,000 people stranded, China Central Television reported.

In an instruction given on the disaster, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said local governments and relevant departments must not succumb to complacency and carelessness in light of the recent occurrence of extreme weather.

He called for strengthened forecasting and early warning systems, intensified efforts to identify and eliminate hidden risks, heightened vigilance during emergency duty shifts, and targeted flood control and disaster relief measures to ensure the safety of the public throughout the flood season.

Premier Li Qiang also issued an instruction demanding a thorough search and rescue operation for those missing or trapped.

Highlighting that China remains in the critical period for flood control spanning late July to early August, Li urged the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters to direct local authorities to raise alert levels, enhance monitoring and warning systems, and make every effort to reduce casualties.

This year's peak flood season has seen notable regional variations, with pronounced droughts and floods. Flooding has been more severe in northern China than in the south, while drought conditions have intensified in central and northwestern regions.

Late last month, Beijing experienced extreme downpours resulting in 44 deaths, nine people missing, and significant property damage.

In an instruction last week, Xi stressed the importance of planning for worst-case and extreme scenarios during this critical flood season, urging local governments and departments to fully assume political responsibility, implement comprehensive flood control measures, and spare no effort to protect people's lives and property.

According to local authorities in Lanzhou, the road to Maliantan village, where many of the missing are from, has been cleared. Loaders are transporting stranded residents, and medical personnel and rescue teams have begun entering the village on foot.

The National Development and Reform Commission said on Friday that it has allocated 100 million yuan ($13.92 million) from the central budget to support rescue and recovery efforts in Gansu.

The funding will prioritize repairing damaged roads, bridges, water conservancy dikes, and other infrastructure and public service facilities, aiming to help disaster-hit areas resume normal production and daily life as soon as possible.

The National Meteorological Center has forecast heavy rainfall in northern and northwestern China, as well as regions along the Yellow, Yangtze and Huaihe rivers from Friday to Saturday. Parts of Hebei and Shandong provinces are expected to be hit by torrential rain, with some areas forecast to witness thunderstorms, strong winds and hail.

Chen Tao, chief forecaster at the center, said that the latest bout of heavy rain in northern China is closely linked to atmospheric circulation. A stronger than usual western Pacific subtropical high, positioned farther north than normal, has provided water vapor to fuel the rains since July.

Li Hongyang contributed to this story.