China to further bolster flood, geological disaster rescue forces in northern regions

BEIJING -- China will take measures to further strengthen rescue forces primarily aimed at addressing flood and geological disasters in its northern regions, as the northern shift of the country's rainfall belt has been increasingly evident in recent years, according to a national conference on emergency management on Tuesday.

The frequency, intensity and rainfall volume of heavy rainfall events causing disasters have increased in recent years, the Ministry of Emergency Management said.

China will further improve its firefighting and rescue forces, accelerate the establishment of aviation rescue teams, and build a number of regional emergency rescue centers suited to local conditions, the ministry noted.

Efforts will also be made to boost the development of specialized rescue forces in industries including metallurgy, electricity, passenger cableway and inland waterway transportation.

While boosting aviation rescue capabilities, China will explore the operational application of large firefighting aircraft, the ministry added.