The number of people affected by floods decreased by 27 % last year

The situation of flood control and drought relief remains severe in 2017

  People's Daily (January 12, 2017 Edition 04)

Beijing, January 11 (reporter Wang Hao) reporters learned from the 2017 national flood control and drought relief work video conference: Last year, the flood season was early, the flood season was long, the flood situation was fierce, the national crop flood affected area reached 139 million mu, the affected population of 102 million people, collapsed houses of 430,000, compared with the average since 2000, respectively reduced 14\%, 27\%, 57\%.

In 2016, 51 episodes of heavy rainfall occurred across the country, 473 rivers flooded above the warning water level, the Taihu Lake was hit by severe flood, and the Yangtze River was hit by the biggest flood since 1998. More than 20,000 kilometers of embankments across the country were over alert, and more than 160,000 embankments and revetments and more than 2,400 reservoirs were damaged.

In response to the severe flood situation, the National Prevention Headquarters launched emergency response 19 times and dispatched more than 330 working groups throughout the year. According to incomplete statistics, local governments strengthened patrol and defensive rescue efforts, and invested 24.03 million person-times in flood prevention and relief, and 18.04 million person-times in embankment inspection and duty. A total of 14.6 million people were evacuated from danger zones. Through the joint operation of the Three Gorges and reservoirs in the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River, 22.7 billion cubic meters of flood water was held back, and the flood storage and detention area near Chenglingji was not diverted, the Upper Jingjiang River reach was not overflowed, and major embankments along the Yangtze River were not in danger.

It is predicted that the situation of flood control, drought relief and typhoon prevention will remain severe in 2017. The Ministry of Water Resources will focus on flood prevention, drought prevention and typhoon prevention to minimize the damage caused by floods, droughts and typhoons. At present, the Songhua River, Heilongjiang River and other rivers have all been frozen, and the Ningmeng section of the Yellow River is still under closure. The situation is not optimistic. Relevant river basin prevention commanders and local prevention authorities are closely monitoring the situation and improving emergency plans to ensure safety.

Author: Editor: Yang Fei