Northeast stays on alert as strong winds, heavy rains expected in coming days

Measures have been taken to limit flooding in Tianjin and the northeastern provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang after Typhoon Khanun made landfall in Liaoning on Friday, the Ministry of Emergency Management said on Sunday.0

On Friday and Saturday, the ministry and the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration dispatched rescue and relief supplies such as drainage pumps to Tianjin and Hebei province.

The ministry highlighted the need for being prepared for potential risks and hidden dangers in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and Northeast China.

As the coming days may see further risks such as strong winds and heavy rain in certain areas, authorities are closely monitoring the situation.

Although Khanun has been downgraded, its remnants are still expected to bring heavy rainfall to Northeast China, worsening the river flood situation, the ministry said.

In the next three days starting from Sunday, there is a risk of heavy rain and potential disasters such as flash floods, geological hazards and agricultural waterlogging in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning and Qinghai provinces, as well as in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, the National Meteorological Center forecast.

The downstream river channels in the Haihe River Basin and the main stream of the Songhua River continue to maintain high water levels, increasing the risk of dangerous situations due to prolonged water exposure, the ministry said.

The Dalian Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters in Liaoning issued a flood warning on Friday. Swimming, fishing and boating in reservoirs and rivers have been banned. In particular, caution has been advised when encountering flooded underpasses, tunnels or culverts while driving.

Southwest and northwest regions are also facing risks such as torrential rains, mountainous geological hazards and flooding, as well as potential dangers associated with reservoirs and dam failures, the ministry said.

It is a critical period for crop production in Northeast China. In the coming days, the areas affected by the wind and rain will overlap with previous flooded areas, which will aggravate the waterlogging. Strong winds can cause crops such as corn to fall down.

As of Wednesday, more than 370,000 people have been affected by rain caused by typhoons Doksuri and Khanun in Heilongjiang, and 258,000 hectares of crops have been flooded, the provincial emergency management and agriculture and rural affairs department said.

Chinese authorities on Sunday held a video conference to discuss the rain, water and geological disaster situations in the country, as well as the potential influence and impact of the typhoons.

Co-organized by the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management, the meeting urged relevant provinces to beef up patrol, defense and emergency rescue forces, scientifically investigate and eliminate risks, and speed up the restoration of embankments.

China has maintained a level-II emergency response to flooding in Tianjin, a level-III emergency response to flooding in Beijing, Hebei, Heilongjiang and Jilin, and a level-IV emergency response to flooding in Liaoning.

The working teams dispatched in the early stages will continue to assist with local flood and typhoon prevention measures in the aforementioned areas.

Xinhua contributed to this story.