China launches emergency response to heavy rains

BEIJING - China's National Commission for Disaster Reduction (NCDR) launched an emergency plan on Sunday in response to heavy rains forecasted in the country's eastern and central region.

The NCDR has urged civil affairs offices in the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Henan, Hubei, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Gansu and the municipality of Chongqing to prepare for heavy rains, floods and flood-triggered ecological disasters.

Civil affairs authorities at all levels have been told to track the rainfalls and their development, and release warnings and disaster prevention messages to the public via public media.

To minimize casualties, the NCDR has called for thorough safety checks in low-lying areas, mountainous regions, schools, construction sites, and tourist attractions.

Authorities in Yunnan and Guizhou, where multiple earthquakes on Friday have killed at least 81 people, are required to beef up safety measures in temporary shelters for relocated residents and strengthen prevention efforts against rain-caused ecological disasters.

The commission required civil affairs authorities to stand alert and prepare disaster-relief materials as more areas will be prone to natural disasters triggered by heavy rainfalls.

Disaster relief material reserve agencies have been told to prepare and work with railway and other transport departments and ensure relief materials arrive in time, the NCDR said.