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Vice Premier urges efforts to fight flood, drought

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-08-24 22:35

BEIJING: Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu called for greater efforts to fight floods and droughts Monday at a meeting held by the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.

In this photo taken on August 22, 2009, a patch of arid corn field is seen in Xizhuang village of Chifeng city, north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region. [Xinhua]

Related readings:  China drought leaves 5m short of water  Freak weather kills 5, lessens drought in N. China  China allocates $26.6m for drought relief  Rain to relieve drought in North China

Hui said governments at all levels should place priority on ensuring people's safety and taking care of people in disaster-hit regions.

Local governments were urged to take measures to combat droughts and floods in major grain production bases and to step up monitoring of freak weather.

A severe drought has affected north China since late July as a result of insufficient rainfall and continued high temperatures, while heavy rains and typhoons have battered some other parts of the country.

A villager from the Xidao village irrigates an arid corn field, in Chifeng city, north China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, August 22, 2009. [Xinhua]