1 in 10 affected by floods in China

By Zhao Huanxin (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-08-29 07:19

Floods have affected at least one in 10 residents and killed 1,138 in the country this year, but better prevention and relief have helped reduce loss of life and property, a senior official said Tuesday.

The country still faces an uphill battle against floods and droughts in the months to come, partly because of extreme weather and damaged infrastructure, Minister of Water Resources Chen Lei told a news briefing in Beijing.

Rainfall has been abnormal this year, with floods and droughts affecting large swathes of the country, Chen said.

He said flood defense facilities, timely evacuation of people and early warnings have cut the death toll this year by nearly half compared with the same period of an average year.

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