China Issues Flood Control Notice, Strictly Prohibiting Delayed or Concealed Reporting of Major Casualties and Disasters

Shanghai, July 9 (CNA) Multiple regions in China have recently faced extreme weather and flood disasters. The authorities have issued a flood control work notice, demanding the comprehensive implementation of political responsibility, strengthening of monitoring and forecasting, and leveraging flood control projects for disaster reduction. The notice also emphasizes that major casualties and dangerous situations must be reported immediately, resolutely preventing delayed, omitted, or concealed reporting.

According to Xinhua News Agency, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council recently issued a "Notice on Vigorously Carrying Out Flood Control and Drought Relief Work," urging all regions, relevant departments, and units to deeply understand the extreme and complex nature of flood and drought disasters and to fully implement political responsibility.

The notice requires resolutely overcoming complacency and侥幸心理 (wishful thinking), consolidating the primary responsibility of local party committees and governments, the supervisory responsibility of industry departments, and the primary responsibility of major responsible persons of relevant enterprises and institutions for flood control and safety. Flood control and drought relief command agencies at all levels must strengthen overall coordination and command and dispatch, and relevant departments and units must fulfill their duties and collaborate efficiently.

The notice also emphasizes improving the accuracy of monitoring and forecasting and strengthening the linkage of early warning responses. For high-risk areas such as mountain valley entrances, narrow river channels, and areas near slopes and cliffs, as well as places with high mobile populations like construction sites, guesthouses, and tourist attractions, and key locations such as nursing homes, schools, and hospitals, "one policy for one location" measures must be implemented for evacuation sites and measures. In particular, decisive evacuation measures must be taken in advance for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, the sick, the disabled, and pregnant women, ensuring that everyone who needs to be evacuated is evacuated.

The notice also mentions the need for scientific and precise dispatch of key flood control projects, fully leveraging the disaster prevention and mitigation role of the flood control engineering system, and reducing the overall flood risk of river basins. It calls for strengthening patrols of key areas such as structures passing through dikes, dangerous sections, historical risk points, reservoir dams, and spillways, improving the quality and effectiveness of patrols and defenses, and promptly addressing identified problems and hidden dangers. It also emphasizes strengthening the control of flood discharge and storage space in rivers and lakes and preparing for the use of flood storage areas. It calls for coordinated promotion of flood control and drainage engineering facilities construction and effective prevention and response to heavy rainfall and flood disasters during the critical flood control period.

The notice stresses rapid and efficient emergency rescue and disaster relief. It calls for strengthening emergency rescue forces and equipment and material preparation, enhancing overall deployment and pre-positioning, improving the rapid response and allocation mechanism for emergency supplies, and increasing rapid delivery capabilities. It also emphasizes increasing the pre-positioning of communication backup equipment to improve the effectiveness of responses to road, network, and power outages. It calls for timely allocation of disaster relief funds and coordination of rapid advance payments and claims for disaster insurance to effectively guarantee the basic living needs of affected people.

The notice finally emphasizes tightening and consolidating information reporting responsibilities, requiring that major casualties, dangerous situations, and important work information be reported immediately, resolutely preventing delayed, omitted, or concealed reporting.

Disasters have occurred frequently in various parts of China recently. Typhoon Maysak recently hit Guangxi, China, bringing heavy rainfall and causing reservoir breaches and flooding. Gansu, Hubei, and other places have also experienced landslides and tornadoes. In addition, the China Central Meteorological Observatory issued a red typhoon warning for Typhoon Bavi this morning at 10 a.m. The Chinese authorities estimate that after Bavi makes landfall, "the disaster risk is high, and the flood control situation is severe and complex." (Editor: Lu Jia-jung) 1150709

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