Flood Control to Be Started over Small and Medium-sized Rivers

With the frequent flooding which happens in small and medium-sized rivers here in China, the State Council Information Office now says the government plans to concentrate more on the control of small and medium-sized rivers, while at the same time, adopting precautionary measures to head off disasters before they start. Our reporter Wu Jia has more.

China has been hit by a record number of natural disasters this year. Torrential rains that have swept across many regions have highlighted how ineffective flood-control measures on many small and medium sized rivers in the country are.

As of October, statistics show that China has been ravaged by the worst flooding, mudslides and landslides in some 20-years. On top of the human tragedies, like the Zhouqu mudslide in Gansu which claimed the lives of over 1,400 people, economic losses this year total around 55 billion US dollars.

It's estimated that around 70-percent of the losses that have occurred this year have been because of flooding on small and medium-sized rivers, mostly because of a lack of funding.

As such, Du Ying, vice minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, says the new priority is going to be the management of these rivers.

"Firstly, measures should be taken to enhance dyke constructions and stream course clearance. Secondly sick and disaster-prone reservoirs and embankments should be consolidated. Thirdly, capacity for flood storage and detention of big rivers is to be strengthened."

Du Ying adds that improvements also need to be made on the non-structural side of things, including better geological surveying and evaluation.

Yin Hong, deputy director of the State Administration of Forestry, goes one step further, saying that on top of flood management, ecological restoration in disaster-prone regions is also an effective way to help prevent disasters.

"We should continue the ban on commercial lumbering activities in natural forests of important ecological areas, as well as the transformation of low-grade or young forests."

There are a huge number of small and medium-sized rivers, dykes and reservoirs across China. Among those that need the most attention include the rain-ravaged Fuhe river in Jiangxi that recorded its worst flooding in history this year, along with the Dashahe River in Anhui which had its course breach 10 times this year.

The government estimates that it may take up to 5-years to finish the massive project, which is expected to cost around 15-billion US dollars.

For CRI, I'm Wu Jia.