Premier Li stresses protecting lives in flood zone

Premier Li Keqiang visits Wuhan's Yangtze River embankment on Wednesday, July 6, 2016. [Photo by Liu Zhen/China News Service]

Baishiling village is an urban village in Yueyang city. Due to continuous heavy rainfall, many houses have been submerged. Premier Li arrived here despite the rainfall, carefully inspecting the flood situation, and asking how the relocation is going.

He said that now, many cities have seen floods within the city area. This is due to intense rainfall,and it also reflects an "historical deficit" in urban construction.

He asked for efforts to be made to ensure proper settlement for the affected population and for speeding up the renovation of shanty towns and the construction of an underground pipeline corridor to address this weakness and "scar" on the city and to raise disaster response capacity both above ground and underground.

Li also visited Jingjiang,the most dangerous section of the Yangtze River. He inspected the power-pumped section along the Jingjiang River in Yueyang city and the Liuyehu section of the Jianxinyuan embankments of the Dongting Lake, checking the water level and dam situation there. Leading officials of the Yangtze River Water Conservancy Commission briefed the Premier about their flood control efforts.

Premier Li said that ensuring the safety of the main embankments is critical to flood control and must therefore never be taken lightly. As the main flood season has just arrived, the situation could get worse before it gets better.

It is important to make all-weathered patrols of the embankments, reservoirs and other projects. Efforts must not be slackened in the slightest way. Contingent plans must be made in light of the latest developments to ensure the overall safety of major rivers, lakes and the basin area throughout the flood season.