Society

'Departments should fight disasters together'

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-08-05 07:54

BEIJING - A leading expert has urged government departments at all levels to share information in a timely manner to take better precautions against natural disasters.

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China has already developed a sound early warning system against natural disasters, said Shi Peijun, deputy director of the expert committee of the National Disaster Reduction Committee.

"However, due to the lack of communication between the central government and its local branches, some information cannot be transmitted on time," the People's Daily quoted him as saying on Wednesday.

So far, the disaster-monitoring network, equipped with observation stations for the weather and water levels, has covered every county and main river basin in China. Also, special monitoring stations have been built in areas where geological disasters occur frequently.

However, Shi pointed out that precautionary measures have not attracted great concerns so far, compared with the enormous amounts of funds invested in reconstruction works after disasters every year.

"With well developed precaution networks, the damage of a disaster could be greatly reduced. Many haven't realized that till now," he said.