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China warns of floods as ‘dragon boat rain’ threatens to soak Pearl River region
- Cities in south China are on high alert and authorities prepare for emergencies as forecasters warn of downpours in coming weeks
- Heavy showers often hit the area around time of Dragon Boat Festival, but this year’s rainfall could be up to 50 per cent more than usual
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China has warned of flood risks near the Bei River, a southern tributary of the Pearl River, over the next 30 days as authorities prepare for emergencies and evacuation.
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Heavy showers, known as “dragon boat rain”, often hit southern China around the time of the Dragon Boat Festival, which typically falls in mid-June. But this year, the amount of rainfall could be 20 to 50 per cent more than usual in the Pearl River area, the Ministry of Water Resources said on Monday.
Due to torrential rains in recent days, water levels in the river’s main tributaries reached 0.5 metre (1.64 feet) higher than usual, and reservoirs in the area held 10 per cent more water, the ministry said.
The ministry has organised a team to analyse the development of rainstorms and plan prevention measures accordingly, it said. In the next few weeks, it will strive to publish alerts in a timely manner, urge local governments to arrange for supervision around dams, reservoirs and construction projects near rivers, and pay close attention to flash floods and waterlogging, it said.
Local governments should implement early warnings and organise evacuations in advance, as well as increase monitoring and reporting, the ministry said.
On Saturday, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters activated a level four emergency flood prevention response, the lowest in a four-tier system, for Guangdong province and Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.
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