Photo: Courtesy of Department of Emergency Management of Sichuan Province

Over 63,000 people from more than 20,000 households in Southwest China’s Sichuan Province were relocated in advance to cope with sustained rainstorms that have been sweeping through the province since Monday. 

Heavy rains hit the Sichuan Basin between 7 am on Monday and 7 am on Tuesday, and downpours soaked multiple places including Bazhong, Nanchong and Luzhou. Jifeng town in Jialing district in Nanchong recorded a precipitation of 211.7 millimeters, chinanews.com reported. 

According to the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters, to cope with the sustained rainstorms, 76 counties and districts in 19 cities and prefectures relocated a total of 63,706 people from 20,365 households. 

Sichuan Provincial Meteorological Observatory continued to issue a blue alert for rainstorms at 4 pm on Monday. 

During the rainstorms, provincial flood control authorities organized video-conferences to deploy response work in 12 cities and prefectures where a blue alert was issued, dispatched the flood control authorities in 36 cities and districts to implement the response measures, inspected 35 townships and communities and 35 construction sites there to assure the relocation of personnel. 

The authorities also supervised and directed the evacuation of over 2,700 people from 34 coal mines in five cities.

Meanwhile, the province has deployed 74 rescue and relief forces groups consisting of 450 specialists as well as more than 160 units of professional equipment in use. Cities and prefectures in the province have also sent over 700 people from 232 work groups and dispatched over 350 rescue teams from 124 counties and districts to cope with extreme weather.

Global Times