Xi orders all-out rescue of people missing, trapped in floods, geological disasters

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday demanded all-out search and rescue efforts to find people missing or trapped in floods and geological disasters in an instruction issued on work concerning flood prevention and disaster relief.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, in addition demanded efforts to minimize casualties.

Affected by Typhoon Doksuri, extreme rainfall has been recorded in north China and the regions along the Yellow and Huaihe rivers, triggering floods and geological disasters and causing heavy casualties in Beijing and Hebei.

It is crucial to ensure medical treatment for the injured and provide comfort to the families of the deceased, Xi said.

Xi urged efforts to make appropriate arrangements for people affected by the floods and geological disasters, promptly repair damaged infrastructure including transportation, telecommunications and electricity facilities, and restore normal order in work and life as soon as possible.

Xi stressed that relevant authorities must strengthen early warning and monitoring systems for floods, focus on crucial flood prevention locations, and fully implement flood prevention measures during the key period from late July to early August.

The safety of the people's lives and properties as well as social stability must be ensured with utmost efforts, Xi said.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang made an instruction urging relevant departments to fully implement Xi's requirements and make all-out efforts to help localities search for and rescue people missing or trapped, minimize casualties and restore normal life and production as early as possible.

Li also urged improved and greater efforts in flood early warning and monitoring systems as well as thorough implementation of flood preventive measures to ensure the safety of the people's lives and properties.