The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said
Saturday nearly 7,700 local residents had been moved from two areas
used to diverse floodwater when floods hit two tributaries of the
Huaihe River after days of heavy rain.
No casualties have been reported during the mass relocation,
which was carried out in Henan
Province, central China.
From Friday to Saturday, downfalls and rainstorms hit areas
between the Yellow River and Huaihe River, resulting in big floods
in Shaying and Hongru rivers, two tributaries of the Huaihe
River.
To ensure the safety of the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway and cities
downstream, the Henan Provincial Flood Control and Drought Relief
Headquarters decided to open brakes to divert floodwater into two
flood diversion areas.
The two areas can hold 407 million cubic meters of diverted
floodwater and have a combined population of 174,500 people.
More than 89,000 people have rushed to the frontline to fight
against the floods and the State Flood Control and Drought Relief
Headquarters has dispatched a working group to the spot for
direction.
According to weather forecast, rain may continue along the
Yellow River and Huaihe River valleys, as well as the middle
reaches of the Yangtze River, in the coming two days.
The Huaihe River, one of the seven major rivers in China, last
year experienced the most severe flood since 1954, which claimed 16
lives and affected millions of residents, bringing more than 18
billion yuan of economic losses.
(Xinhua News Agency July 18, 2004)
