Perilous Times and Climate Change
450,000 residents evacuated as floods ravage S. China island province,
more rains to come
English.news.cn 2010-10-11 21:37:27
HAIKOU, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- More than 450,000 people had been evacuated
by Sunday as floods wreaked havoc in China's southernmost island
province of Hainan, authorities said Monday.
The floods have disrupted the lives of 2.7 million people in 16 cities
and counties on the island, and the affected area accounted for 90
percent of Hainan's total territory, Luo Baoming, governor of the
province, said during a video conference on flood relief mobilization.
The floods have also destroyed more than 3,000 houses, and damaged more
than 1,400 roads and 43 reservoirs in the province. Also, over 166,700
hectares of crops have been damaged, and among these, 74,000 hectares
have been destroyed, according to the provincial civil affairs
department.
Nearly 100 schools were toppled, and five cities and counties were
forced to suspend school for two or three days, Luo said.
According to the local meteorological bureau, another round of rains is
forecast to pound the island Wednesday, which will pose more
difficulties for relief work, Luo added.