Society

Dike to be repaired soon: flood control officials

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-06-27 19:14

FUZHOU, Jiangxi - The Changkai Dike, which was breached after days of torrential rains in east China Jiangxi Province, is to be repaired soon as rapid progress has been made since Friday, said flood control officials on Sunday.

The river which runs through Fuzhou city, Jiangxi, breached its banks for a second time early Wednesday, two days after another section of the dike burst, forcing the evacuation of 1.32 million people, according to the provincial Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.

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Almost all of the people had been successfully evacuated as of 6 pm Friday and no casualties were reported, said Wu Fusheng, the city's deputy Party chief.

The 347 meters wide breach, smaller than the previously estimated 400 meters, had been narrowed to about one meter by 6 pm Sunday, said Xiong Haiwen with the municipal People's Congress.

Workers began to narrow the breach from both directions on Saturday, greatly accelerating the work that began on Friday.

The second breach, 130 meters wide, was being used to channel out water and would not immediately be fixed, according to the local government.

The provincial finance department and water resources department have earmarked a total of 23 million yuan ($3.4 million) for fixing the dike, said Xiong.

More than 400 people, helped by an assortment of equipment, were battling to shore up the dike.

Some evacuees have returned to check on their houses hopeful that they may move back soon.

Zhang Changqi, 48, and his five family members lived only 300 meters away from the breach. Now after the water receded, his two-story house was left with 5-centimeter-deep sand on the floor.

"I was worried that someone may steal things from my house so I went back to check. Fortunately nothing was stolen," said Zhang.

Zhang and his family were evacuated to No. 2 High School of Fuzhou's Linchuan district and said the food at the resettlement area was "pretty good."

Persistent heavy rains that have devastated parts of south China had by Saturday left 379 dead, and 141 missing, and resulted in direct economic losses of 82.4 billion yuan, State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said on Saturday.

Heavy rains and ensuing floods have affected 68.7 million people in 22 provincial-level regions and 4.36 million hectares of farmland, said the headquarters.