IANS | 05 Jul, 2024
Floods and geological disasters triggered by recent heavy rainfall in
east China's Jiangxi Province had impacted over 1.56 million people by Thursday
evening, according to statistics revealed by local authorities.
Homes belonging to 43 households had collapsed and over 2.41 million mu
(about 160,667 hectares) of farmland had been flooded. Direct economic losses
are estimated to be 1.86 billion yuan (about $260.9 million), Xinhua news
agency reported, citing Jiangxi's flood-control and drought-relief
headquarters.
Chinese authorities on Wednesday launched a Level IV emergency response
to floods in Jiangxi.
The National Disaster Reduction Commission has dispatched a team to
guide and assist local governments with disaster relief work and rescue
efforts, aiming to ensure the basic needs of affected residents.
At the request of Jiangxi provincial authorities, the State Flood
Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and other departments have allocated
woven bags, lighting equipment, drainage pumps, life jackets and other
emergency relief materials with a total value of about 8.13 million yuan to the
province.
Affected by persistent heavy rainfall, it is expected that water levels
of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, Poyang Lake and Dongting
Lake will continue to rise. The water level of Taihu Lake will remain above its
warning mark.
The Yangtze River Water Resources Commission of the Ministry of Water
Resources on Thursday reported that major hydrological stations in the middle
and lower reaches of the river, as well as the exit hydrological station at
Poyang Lake, are likely to see flooding peaks from Thursday evening to Friday.
Five work teams and four expert teams have been dispatched to the
provinces of Heilongjiang, Jiangxi, Anhui, Hubei and Hunan to support local
flood control work.