Vice-Premier Wang Yang conveyed an instruction on flood control and rescue relief from President Xi Jinping on July 23 and called for firm determination to win the battle against floods.

The vice-premier, also the director of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (SFDH), made the remarks at an SFDH meeting in Beijing.

At the meeting, he deployed the next stage of flood control work and emphasized that the public’s lives and safety should be given top priority in flood control work. He also urged greater measures to win the battle against the floodwaters.

He stressed that due to complicated weather conditions during late July that brought record rainfall, flood prevention is very important. More such weather is expected in early August.

He urged local governments to take responsibility, carry out duties and be disciplined in preventing floods.

Preventing flooding and reducing losses due to floods are the top priorities in flood control and relief work, the vice-premier said, adding that local governments should improve their emergency response plans and arrange for evacuation in case of dangerous conditions.

Local governments should also focus on defense, strengthen inspection work and remove dangers to guarantee the safety of embankments on key rivers and flood prevention of large and medium-sized reservoirs. Local officials also should make sure that there are no big problems with key infrastructure, such as railways, highways, subways, the water supply and diversion facilities, electricity pipelines and oil pipelines and should try to reduce losses caused by medium and small rivers, mountain flood disasters, urban water-logging and typhoons.

He called on them to further strengthen the work mechanism through united leadership and cooperation between the military and local governments, between soldiers and citizens to form a large flood prevention force.

The vice-premier also said successful cases of flood prevention should be highlighted to increase positive energy, and local governments should respond to the public’s concerns, help flood-affected residents in a practical way and carry out a sound post-disaster reconstruction.