Xi stresses prioritizing people's safety, property in flood prevention, control

BEIJING, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday demanded that authorities at all levels must give top priority to ensuring people's safety and property, and carefully and strictly implement the flood prevention and disaster relief measures.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in an important instruction after continuous heavy rainfall hit regions including central China's Henan Province, causing heavy casualties and property losses.

The rainfall has made the flood control situation very severe, causing severe waterlogging in Zhengzhou and other cities, water levels in some rivers exceeding alarm levels, and damages to dams of some reservoirs, Xi said, adding that sections of railways have also been shut down, and some flights have been canceled.

Xi stressed that authorities at all levels must always put people's safety and property first, and take the lead in fighting the floods.

He ordered authorities at all levels to promptly organize flood prevention and disaster relief forces, properly accommodate those affected, strictly prevent secondary disasters, and minimize casualties and property losses.

The People's Liberation Army and the People's Armed Police Force must actively assist local authorities in emergency rescue and relief work, said Xi.

He urged the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the emergency management, water resources and transport ministries to enhance coordination, locate hidden dangers, and shore up the protection of major infrastructure.

Relevant departments should also improve the system for early warnings and forecasts of rainfall, typhoons, mountain torrents and mudslides, step up efforts on traffic management, and take detailed and practical flood prevention and disaster relief measures, said Xi.

He also stressed the need to take solid measures to assist those affected by the floods, and to strengthen hygiene and disease control so as to ward off epidemics and prevent people from returning to poverty due to disasters.