China View
July 18, 2006

The death toll from the killer tropical storm Bilis has risen to 198 in China; Vice Premier Hui Liangyu has urged government departments to step up flood-control efforts, especially in regard the safety or major rivers and reservoirs.

As the death toll from the rainstorms and floods triggered by the killer tropical storm Bilis has risen to 198 in China, Vice Premier Hui Liangyu on Tuesday urged all related government departments to continue their efforts in flood control and disaster relief. The Chinese government regards the current flood control task its top priority and pays great attention to safety of people’s life, Hui said during an inspection tour in Hunan Province, the worst-hit province where 92 people have been confirmed dead, more than 100 are missing and 400,000 others are affected. . . . The vice premier said storm-ravaged areas still face great pressures in flood control and disaster relief so that governments at all levels must take effective measures to prevent more possible disasters and ensure [the] safety of major rivers and reservoirs in the flooding season. . . . In Guangdong 1.32 million people have been affected and 4,744 houses were destroyed by the deadly storm. Water levels at eight large reservoirs in the province have exceeded the flood-control limit with six others approaching the warning line.