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People's life in disaster-hit areas should be ensured: minister
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-12-24 16:48
Disaster relief work should be strengthened to ensure the basic life
of people in disaster-stricken areas, Li Xueju, minister of civil affairs,
said in Beijing on Saturday.
In particular, food and drinking water should be brought to the disaster-hit
areas within 24 hours if any disaster is reported, Li said at the closing
ceremony of a training class on disaster emergency response for local officials.
He called on local officials to establish a highly efficient emergency
response system with clear-cut responsibilities, continue to improve their
emergency plans and rescue capabilities, regularize reconstruction, put the
emergency response management into the local overall planning of social and
economic development.
The ability to forecast and prevent disasters should be enhanced depending on
the development of science and technology, while reconstruction after disasters
should also be strengthened to quickly bring to normal people's life and
production as well as social order, Li added.
China has seen various mishaps this year, making it an urgent task for the
government to build up disaster-warning networks.
Up to November, 1,855 lives were claimed in natural disasters in China and
direct economic losses totaled 199 billion yuan (25 billion U.S. dollars),
according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
In July this year, the State Council, or China's
cabinet, decided to set up a general emergency response plan, including 25
sub-plans for specific emergencies and 80 ministerial ones.
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