Xi urges all-out rescue, relief work after dike breach in Central China

The dike breach along the Dongting Lake at a township in Hunan province is expected to be sealed off by 12 am on Tuesday, according to local authorities.

A total of 87.3 meters of the dike breach has been sealed off as of 3 pm on Sunday, as the first respondents made the most efforts to close the 220 meters gap that has occurred in the dike in Tuanzhou township, Huarong county, in Hunan's Yueyang city, according to a news conference.

The breach occurred at around 5.48pm on Friday. A similar breach took place at the township in July 1996.

Zhang Yingchun, executive deputy governor of Hunan province, said emergency rescuers are racing against time to seal off the dam. With the cooperation of trucks and ships carrying the rocks, they can proceed to construct 60 to 80 meters of dams per day. A total of 100,000 cubic meters of rocks are needed to close the gap, she said. 

Meanwhile, a total of more than 4,200 emergency rescuers and more than 3,000 pieces of equipment have been used for the rescue efforts, Zhang said at a news conference held in Huarong county on Sunday.

Great efforts have been made to strengthen the embankment that separates the inundated township from nearby ones, she said.

The embankment, viewed as the "second line of defence", is located about two kilometres away from the breached dike and is 14.3 kilometres long, according to Xinhua News Agency.

More than 3,700 personnel have conducted patrols at the embankment around the clock. There have been seven accidents, which have been handled, and the embankment is under stable condition, she said.

A total of 7,680 people have been transferred and properly settled after the breach and there has been no immediate report of casualties or injuries from the accident, she said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged all-out rescue and relief work to safeguard people's lives and property after a dike breach in Dongting Lake. 

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in an instruction.

Xi, who is on a foreign visit, stressed that people in threatened areas should be evacuated in a timely manner and properly resettled, adding that all-out rescue work should be carried out to protect the safety of people's lives and property. He asked the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters to dispatch a team to strengthen guidance.

Xi emphasized that since China entered the main flood season, some areas in the country have experienced heavy rainfall for a prolonged duration, leading to a severe flood control situation. The prolonged water erosion of embankments may result in dangerous situations, posing significant risks and hidden dangers.

Relevant local Party committees, governments and departments should take prompt action and mobilize forces to carry out flood prevention, disaster relief and emergency rescue work. They should strengthen inspections of embankments and promptly identify and address any potential risks to ensure safety, Xi said.

Li Qiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and premier of the State Council, ordered that all efforts should be made to deal with the emergency, control the development of the situation, properly accommodate the affected people and strengthen the patrol of reservoirs and embankments.

Li urged the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters to strengthen early warning and consultation, as well as guidance for and supervision over all localities and departments in flood control and disaster relief work.

According to the instructions of Xi and the request of Li, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, the Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Emergency Management have sent working groups to the scene. Party and government officials of Hunan province and Yueyang City are at the site to direct emergency response.

 Zou Shuo

Xinhua

China Daily

Asia News Network