Briefly

BEIJING

Emergency response for flood risks activated

China's Ministry of Water Resources on Sunday activated a level-IV emergency response to flood risks in regions in the northern, central and northwestern parts of the country. From Monday to Wednesday, heavy rains will lash the provinces of Hebei, Shanxi, Henan, Shaanxi and Gansu, and will cause the water levels of rivers in the regions to rise sharply, the ministry said. Multiple rivers are expected to see water levels exceed their warning lines. Local departments should take precautionary measures, and work groups have been sent to Hebei and Shanxi to guide local flood prevention work, the ministry said. China has a four-tier flood control emergency response system, with level I being the most severe response.

Air, water quality better in first half of year

China has made steady progress in improving the environment in the first half of the year, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment said Saturday. Air quality has improved, with the average concentration of PM2.5－air pollutant particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less－decreasing 5.9 percent year-on-year to 32 micrograms per cubic meter during the first six months, according to the ministry. The percentage of days with good air quality was 84.6 percent in cities at and above the prefecture level, up 0.3 percentage points from a year ago, data showed. China has also seen clearer surface water. The proportion of surface water with fairly good quality－at or above Grade III in the country's five-tier water quality system－rose 4 percentage points year-on-year to 85.7 percent during the January-June period, while that of surface water below Grade V, the lowest level, dropped 0.8 percentage points to 1.1 percent from a year ago, data showed.

SHANGHAI

Man who took hostage at hospital arrested

A man holding a knife to a hostage at Ruijin Hospital was shot and arrested by Shanghai police, the police bureau of the city's Huangpu district said on its official Weibo account. The incident occurred at about 11:30 am on Saturday on the seventh floor of the hospital's main building. A police officer shot and arrested the man who was attempting to hurt the hostage and police officers. Four other people were injured and received medical treatment. All the injuries were non-life-threatening, according to the police. The suspect's motive remains unclear, and an investigation is underway.

Xinhua - China Daily