Chinese Premier warns Henan as typhoons approach

ZHENGZHOU - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Wednesday urged local governments to make full preparations for the approaching typhoons, Saola and Damrey, so as to ensure safety of both the residents and properties.

Wen made the remarks in Zhengzhou, capital of Central China's Henan Province, during his inspection tour to examine efforts to prevent flooding in the Yellow River.

Local governments should be prepared to guard against "major floods" which might result in serious disasters, he said, adding that the two strong typhoons might sweep both China's coastal and inland areas.

Wen asked local authorities to closely monitor the typhoons, their effects on the situation of major rivers, and publicize relevant information in a timely manner.

"Great importance should be attached to handle urban waterlogging caused by rainstorms," he said.

Local governments should intensify efforts to guard residential areas, schools, factories, mines, railways and highways, and tourism spots from floods, he said.

Wen said "ensuring people's safety should be prioritized," adding that local authorities should manage evacuations of disaster-affected residents in a timely manner and make appropriate arrangements of their living and working conditions.

Typhoon Damrey, the 10th typhoon this year, was very similar to the typhoon which ravaged Henan in August 1975 in terms of its time of occurrence, travelling route and speed, according to Wen.

He said local governments should not forget the lessons learned from the 1975 typhoon which caused huge losses, urging them to be fully prepared as the risks could not be overstated.

The center of Typhoon Saola, the ninth typhoon this year, was located about 210 km southeast of Hualien, Taiwan at 1 pm on Wednesday, the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center said in a report.

Typhoon Saola is expected to make landfall over Taiwan's coast or the northeastern waters of the island on Wednesday evening or Thursday morning, and it is forecast to make landfall over the coast areas between Fuqing of Fujian province and Yuhuan of Zhejiang province on the Chinese mainland on Thursday evening or Friday morning, the center said.

The center of Typhoon Damrey was located about 1,230 km southeast of Rizhao city in East China's Shandong province at 1 pm on Wednesday, and the typhoon is expected to make landfall over the coastal areas between Qidong of Jiangsu province and Qingdao of Shandong either Thursday evening or Friday morning, according to the report.