Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan urged Beijing and other cities to
improve their urban planning and increase their disaster prevention
and control capability.
The call came as the vice premier inspected the capital after
downpours caused casualties and traffic jams in some major cities
earlier this month.
The vice premier said all localities and departments should
increase investment in water supply and drainage, energy and
telecommunications infrastructure. They should improve their
disaster prevention sand rapid reaction systems to protect the life
and property of the general public.
Beijing, as the capital of China, should constantly improve its
urban construction and management capability, said the vice
premier, who inspected the city Tuesday.
A sudden strong rainstorm that hit Beijing on July 10 caused
five houses to collapse and injured three people.
According to the city’s anti-flood and drought headquarters, the
storm toppled 59 trees and water seeped into 4,698 houses. Media
reports say hundreds of cars were partially immersed in flooded
streets.
The July 10 downpour represented a severe test of Beijing’s
infrastructure and rapid-reaction capability, said Zeng.
He said the Beijing municipal government moved swiftly to
minimize the damage and is preparing for more bad weather
conditions.
(Xinhua News Agency July 21, 2004)