Government and Policy

China orders to ensure students' safety amid floods

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-07-14 08:56

BEIJING - The Chinese education ministry Tuesday ordered education authorities and schools in flood-hit regions to ensure the safety of students against floods and flood triggered disasters.

Related readings:  South China braces for more floods  China launches emergency response amid floods in Qinghai  5 dead, 8 missing in NW China flash floods  Premier Wen urges disaster prevention during floods

The ministry ordered all necessary measures be taken to guarantee the safety of students, including suspending classes, rescheduling exams, relocating classrooms to safer areas, and other actions.

Also, according to the ministry, school buildings in flood-hit regions could only be put back into use after examination and approval by authorities, so that no student is endangered by the possible collapse of flood-soaked school buildings.

Rainstorms and the floods that followed left 107 people dead and 59 missing in ten provinces and municipalities -- mostly along the Yangtze River, as of Tuesday afternoon.

The education ministry also cautioned against accidents involving students during their summer vacations, such as drowning while swimming and contracting food poisoning.