Wang Rulin Went to Baishan and Tonghua to Inspect Flood-fighting Disaster Relief and Post-disaster Reconstruction

On August 8, mountainous areas in southeastern part of Jilin Province had overcast weather, dark clouds, and pouring rain. After hundreds of kilometers of drive, Provincial Governor Wang Rulin and his entourage went to Baishan City and Tonghua City which were seriously hit by floods in the lashing rain, marching mud, to inspect flood control and rescue work, to see houses destroyed especially by the floods, to visit and convey greetings to officers and soldiers, cadres and the masses fighting in frontline, and relocated disaster-stricken people, and to highlight the deployment of reconstruction of houses collapsed.

Wang Rulin stressed that due to the advent of a new round of heavy rainfall in advance, project damaged by flood previously had not fully recovered, the soil was saturated then, and flood control in our province remained very grim. Parties concerned should, in accordance with deployment of provincial committee of the CPC and provincial government and Secretary Sun Zhengcai, be based on fighting against big floods and conducting big disaster relief, do not slack off or be negligent, to establish a long-term fighting thinking, always ensure that people's life and safety come first, seriously guard the dangerous sections of river dikes, damaged and dangerous reservoirs, and attach great importance to and strictly guard against landslides and other geological disasters, to eliminate bursts of dikes and collapse of dams, to ensure urban security, and to ensure no casualties.

At the same time, parties concerned should race against time, get fast, do a good job in post-disaster reconstruction, and especially give priority to reconstruction of houses collapsed, to ensure that all disaster-stricken people have houses to live in before the winter, to ensure that they will have a warm winter, and to ensure that reconstruction of houses collapsed in rural areas can be completed before winter.

And parties concerned should speed up the repair of hydraulic engineering, roads, electricity, communications, and urban water supply facilities, to ensure the needs of flood control, ensure post-disaster reconstruction, and ensure normal production and living needs.

Since late July, Baishan City has had frequent rainstorms, fast and violent floods, and suffered serious losses. Yueya River is located in the urban fringe, with narrow stream way. After heavy downpour, congestion was serious, leading to inland inundation. Wang Rulin walked to river bank and inspected floods and houses damaged.

After he heard that many houses were severely damaged, the number of households involved was huge, and the volume of reconstruction was large, Wang Rulin said that parties concerned should not only quickly organize discharge of waterlogging, but also make long-term plan in combination with the overall urban reconstruction and construction, do a good job in scientific planning, speed up house relocation and reconstruction of disaster-stricken people, completely solve urban inland inundation and residents suffering of disaster.

Hunjiang River flows from the east to the west, passing through the urban area of Baishan City. Dikes on both sides protect 160,000 urban populations. Due to the flood, levee toe of 10 km at the southern bank were weakened, multiple levees collapsed, and dangers appeared one after another. From the Tongjiang Bridge to Caihong Bridge Section on the dike, Wang Rulin walked onto dike, inspected it while walking, and asked local principals about dike emergency repair situation and measures in a detailed manner.

Fire fighting and forest police officers and soldiers were implementing emergency rescue and reinforcement task. Wang Rulin walked over and shook hands with them, to express his sympathies. He said that fire fighting and forest police officers and soldiers made great contributions to dike protection.

No matter how big the flood was, the people's safety was ensured, as long as there were officers and soldiers. He asked officers and soldiers to continue to carry forward the special ability to endure hardship, to fight, and to make new contributions in the fight against the flood. Meanwhile, Wang Rulin noted that according to the outstanding problems of this year's flood disaster, parties concerned should make good plans, start new construction projects, improve flood protection standard, enhanced ability to resist flooding, and ensure safety of the city.

29 houses in Qidaojiang Village, Qidaojiang Town, Baishan City were destroyed and 79 houses were damaged. The village also suffered floods in 1995. Wang Rulin said to local cadres that the water line and watercourses were natural, so in face of such a situation, housing reconstruction plan should be made in an overall manner and location should be selected in another place to avoid any more disasters.

In the Baishan Municipal Flood Control Headquarters, Wang Rulin watched the documentary on flood-fighting disaster relief in Baishan and satellite weather data. Wang Rulin firmly affirmed the results achieved previously in Baishan City and made specific requests. He stressed that in face of the current new situation of rain and flood, parties concerned should firmly establish the idea of fighting against big floods and conducting big disaster relief, do not slack off or be negligent, be well prepared to fight against next round of flood, continue to do a good job in emergency rescue and reinforcement of the dangerous sections of river dikes, damaged and dangerous reservoirs, and firmly eliminate bursts of dikes and collapse of dams; further implement measures to prevent debris flow, landslides and other geological disasters; improve mass transfer plan and ensure public safety; intensify efforts on recovery and reconstruction, ensure that all disaster-stricken people have houses to live in before the winter, ensure that they will have a warm winter, and ensure that reconstruction of houses collapsed in rural areas can be completed before winter; pay close attention to plan formulation and conduct early organization and preparation of construction materials; adhere to government s organization, graded responsibility, self-help, financial support, social assistance, funds raising through various channels, and making efforts from all aspects to complete the task of reconstruction of houses collapsed; make good arrangement of disaster-stricken people and strengthen environmental disinfection, to ensure no major epidemic after a large disaster; fully repair damaged infrastructure as soon as possible to ensure smooth of roads, water supply, power supply, and communication, and early resumption of the normal production order; and do a good job in self-help production, safeguard social stability, do a good job in various tasks completely, and complete tasks and objectives in the year of large disaster.

Tonghua City suffered a serious flood in this year. Its irrigation, roads, and urban public facilities were severely damaged. Wang Rulin came to Tonghua City Economic Development Zone for in-depth research of Zhangjiang embankment along Hunjiang River. This year, it suffered a catastrophic flood exceeding the standard.

After emergence of dangerous situation, the dike was safeguarded, after immediate emergency rescue. 15,000 people were transferred in a timely manner. Wang Rulin said approvingly that, thanks to your good preparation and organization, you achieved such good result, in face of urgent flood with huge traffic.

Meanwhile, he stressed that parties concerned should pay close attention to the flood, strengthen guarding of river embankments, and in particular seriously guard the dangerous sections after retreat of flood, to ensure perfect safety.

On August 1, a big flood washed away four supply pipelines from water source in Tonghua city to the water purification plant. After full repair, water supply was restored. At the temporary water supply pipeline site in Tonghua City, Wang Rulin inquired about pipeline repair and rehabilitation of water supply in a detailed manner.

Wang Rulin said that urban water supply facilities were the lifelines of thousands of families. People of the province were concerned about disrupted water supply in Tonghua City. After addressing the temporary water supply, parties concerned should sum up lessons learned, pay close attention to planning, and accelerate the launch of permanent construction, to ensure water supply for urban life and production; and strengthen care by special person, to ensure safe operation.

How are relocated disaster-stricken people? What are their practical difficulties? Wang Rulin was very concerned about that 372 houses in Changliu Village, Huantong Town, Dongchang District, Tonghua City were flooded and more than 900 people were relocated in total. He came to the temporary shelter in Changliu Village Primary School to visit disaster-stricken people.

Several villagers were preparing to cook. Wang Rulin walked into the makeshift kitchen, had cordial discussions with villagers, and asked about their living arrangements. He opened the dish basin and carefully inspected species of meat and vegetables. Wang Rulin said with deep feeling, the Party committee and government will seriously help disaster-stricken people resolve practical problems, to maximize protection of basic living needs, so please rest assured.

Then, Wang Rulin walked into the classroom for resettlement of disaster-stricken people, had cordial conversations with people there, and asked about their life, production, and problems in a detailed manner. Gu Junfeng s cultivated land was flooded. 70% of land out of 10 acres became unproductive. Wang Rulin encouraged him to pay close attention to replanting of suitable crops in late autumn on the unproductive lands, or go out to work under help of competent department, to strive to realize no reduction of income despite of the disaster.

Wang Rulin held hands of 79-year-old Wang Dexuan and inquired after his conditions. He sincerely said that on front of disaster, we must strengthen confidence and work together to tide over the difficulties. Out of the classroom, Wang Rulin seriously inspected tent erected on the playground. He said the beginning of autumn had passed, the weather turned cool, so parties concerned should conduct shift from emergency placement to transition placement, seize time to transfer disaster-stricken people from primary school, tents, and other temporary shelters, through going and living with relatives or friends, acceptance by welfare institutions, house leasing subsidies, and other measures, to ensure no influence on school commencement and ensure that disaster-stricken people do not catch cold or be affected with damp.

Parties concerned should focus on reconstruction of houses collapsed, combine with new rural construction and project of warm house, do a good job in planning, building materials, technical support, human security and other aspects, race against time, catch up with progress, and ensure that all disaster-stricken people have houses to live in before winter and ensure completion of reconstruction of houses collapsed.

Hit by heavy rain and mountain torrents, Ermi River bridges and roads in Xicha Village, Ermi Town, Tonghua Town were severely damaged. Previous large tracts of arable land became sand beach. Looking at the unproductive crops and cultivated land damaged by flood, Wang Rulin urged local cadres to speed up the repair and rebuilding of roads and bridges, while attach great importance to study measures to solve problems caused by farmers losses of lands; do a good job in land reclamation, fully utilize sludge cleaned from cities and villages to cover flood-washed lands, and develop greenhouse film economy, to protect living of disaster-stricken people.

Villagers in Xicha Village spent 70,000 yuan in building of new house last year, but since his house was close to the river channel, his new house was destroyed by flood. His wife was very sad and burst into tears. She said, pulling the hand of Wang Rulin, at the moment of danger, local cadres, military officers and soldiers saved my family, five persons, from the flood.

She would like to extend gratitude to the Party and the government, and to the provincial governor for his visit. Wang Rulin said that the Party committee and the government would help her to rebuild a new house; in addition, Wang Rulin encouraged her to overcome difficulties and rebuild homes. Wang Rulin asked persons in charge of relevant departments and local cadres to strive to include small and medium-sized rivers such as Ermi River to the planning and strengthen control efforts;pay close attention to study on transfer of residents who still lived on river beaches, and carry out scientific location, to avoid repeated suffering of disasters.

No burst occurred to Yitong River embankment at the urban section in Liuhe County thanks to reinforcement and emergency repair, which made the city and people survived. Wang Rulin stressed that parties concerned should fully understand the importance of management of medium and small rivers, reinforce key sections and weak embankment, and improve flood control capacity.

In Meihekou City, Wang Rulin listened to brief report of municipal committee of the CPC and municipal government. He fully affirmed the good results achieved in the preceding section and asked them to continue their efforts, strengthen measures, and further do a good job on flood-fighting disaster relief.