By Xinhua
Beijing : The Chinese government has issued a “Level Two” flood control emergency response plan demanding related provinces and cities to closely monitor this year’s 16th typhoon, super typhoon “Krosa”, and be well prepared for any emergencies.
The Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said in an urgent notice on Saturday afternoon that 138,000 people have been relocated in Zhejiang and Fujian provinces on the east coast, and 27,000 fishing boats have been recalled in the two provinces in preparation for the possible landfall of Krosa.
Meteorological departments are predicting Krosa will land on, or brush past, Fujian or Zhejiang provinces between midnight Sunday and Monday noon. Strong winds, rainstorms and high tides are expected to hit the coastal areas of Zhejiang, Fujian and Jiangsu provinces and Shanghai Municipality.
The headquarters demanded all related regions and departments to pay high attention to preparations for the possible landfall of Krosa, and make all possible efforts to avoid loss of life and property.
“Local governments should attach great importance to the disaster preventions and recheck relevant work and personnel arrangements, viewing it as an endeavor to safeguard the social stability and people’s life security,” said Chen Lei, deputy commander-in-chief of the headquarters, at an emergency teleconference.
Chen, also minister of Water Resources, ordered local flood control and drought relief departments to initiate an overall defense plan to cope with possible “worst situations”.
“All the officials in charge of the preventions should keep to their post and not underestimate the difficulty and relocation work in the middle of the country’s week-long National Day holiday,” Chen said.
Tourists to the coastal areas must be evacuated immediately, he stressed.
He required the meteorological, oceanic and water resources departments to release and update information about the typhoon, waves and rainfalls timely.
He also urged measures to be taken to secure reservoirs and prevent mountain torrents and other geological disasters in the typhoon-hit areas.