BEIJING, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Sunday sent a work team to southwest China's Chongqing Municipality to guide flood control and disaster relief work, the Ministry of Emergency Management said.
The move came as the headquarters maintained a Level-IV emergency response for flooding in Chongqing, as well as in Hunan and Hubei provinces.
From Sunday through Wednesday, heavy rainfall is expected to impact southeastern Shaanxi, some parts in Chongqing and Hubei, most of Henan and Anhui, northern Hunan, western Jiangsu, and northern Jiangxi.
At a multi-department joint consultation on Sunday, emergency officials called for close monitoring of rainfall and flood conditions, stronger joint assessment by multiple departments, and rolling short-term forecasts and warnings for areas facing heavy rainfall, especially at night.
Authorities also urged close attention of key areas, including patrols and protective measures for river embankments, reservoirs and dams. Safety controls should be put in place in advance for areas such as mountain flood outlets, overflow bridges and underground spaces, as well as densely populated sites including elderly care institutions and construction sites.
Three people were killed and another 17 were unaccounted for after heavy rain battered Yongchuan District in Chongqing starting Saturday night, according to local authorities.
In addition, two people were also unaccounted for after the rain lashed Beibei District in the municipality.
Rescue and response efforts are currently underway in full swing. ■
