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| Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao inspects the flood-hit area in Hankou of Wuhan, Hubei Province on July 23, 2010. Wen ordered local authorities to adopt scientific measures to get well prepared for "more serious floods and disasters" as some of the country's major rivers saw water levels surpassing their warning levels. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) |
WUHAN, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has ordered local governments to adopt scientific measures to prepare well for "more serious floods and disasters" as some of the country's major rivers saw water levels surpass their warning levels.
Wen said China was at a "crucial stage" for flood control during an inspection tour in central China's Hubei Province that began July 23.
The upper reaches of the Yangtze, the nation's longest river, have seen the highest flood peak since 1987, and water levels on its middle and lower reaches were over the warning levels for the first time since 2003.
Wen ordered local governments to step up patrols and guard against potential risks to ensure the safety of major rivers, large and medium-sized reservoirs and key infrastructure facilities.
He called for the scientific use of major flood control projects including the Three Gorges Dam and the Danjiangkou reservoir to coordinate water volumes in the upper and lower reaches of rivers.
Local authorities should strengthen monitoring and prevention of geological disasters such as landslides and mud flow, and relocate affected residents to avoid casualties, he said.
